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Asbestos exposure that makes contact with unprotected skin can cause irritation, rashes, hives, and the formation of tough “warts”.

The U.S. Government’s MedlinePlus service defines hives as red raised bumps on the skin that are sometimes itchy.[1] Hives commonly result from an allergic reaction to certain substances, meaning they are the body’s response to exposure rather than directly caused by the substance itself.

When handling asbestos-containing materials or other materials contaminated with asbestos fibers, many people end up with the microscopic fibers embedded in their skin. These fibers are difficult to dislodge.

Fibers that remain lodged in the skin may cause hard growths around them that appear like a callus, corn, or a wart.[2] These skin conditions may be irritating or diminish someone’s physical appearance, but they do not represent a known health threat.[3]

Asbestos was widely used for generations as a form of insulation, a use that fiberglass insulation has largely taken over. Fiberglass threads can become embedded in the skin, causing irritation similar to the sensation of tiny cuts. This irritation can grow into a rash.[4]

Unlike fiberglass, asbestos insulation, is not known to cause irritation or itchiness.[5] Yet, literature from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes that skin exposure to asbestos can indeed cause a rash.[6] Fortunately, this rash appears to be mostly a harmless reaction. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) recommends merely washing the affected area with soap and water for a few minutes until redness subsides.[7]

Furthermore, there is no known risk of asbestos penetrating the skin and passing through into the bloodstream.[8]

The risks of obtaining a skin condition after contact with asbestos therefore do exist, but it is likely to develop as a hard wart rather than a rash or hives. According to one study, 60% of workers installing amosite insulation in a prior decade reported seeing these growths on their hands within 10 days.[9]

Overall, though, rashes do not seem to be a common condition caused by asbestos exposure. It is possible that skin irritation and an allergic-type reaction could develop as a secondary condition caused by dry skin or asbestos warts, but this has not been formally observed and documented medically.

[1] https://medlineplus.gov/hives.html

[2] https://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/chemicals-and-contaminants/asbestos

[3] https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/csem.asp?csem=29&po=6

[4] http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/factsheets/fiberglass.htm

[5] http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/asbestos/homeowner/heffects.html

[6] https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi/910180UI.PDF?Dockey=910180UI.PDF

[7] https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/chem_profiles/asbestos.html

[8] https://www.health.govt.nz/news-media/news-items/asbestos-advice-householders

[9] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/627190/Asbestos_toxicological_overview.pdf