Cancers Forum - Chemical Exposure to Matches

Cancer > Cancers Forum > Chemical Exposure to Matches

TOPICS DOCTOR QUESTIONS

Cancer

Millions of Americans are diagnosed with cancer. But what exactly is cancer and how does it affect the body?...

Q: Chemical Exposure to Matches

asked by: DoctorQuestion on October 30th, 2006

hello, i have a question..
i was using matches to make my marshmellows catch fire so that they could roast.. i put the match underneath the marshmellow and the chemicals could have possibly gone up into the marshemllow.. i did this with about 20 or so matches/marshmellows and i saw in a forum that matches can cause cancer.. i dont know if thats true or not

so heres my questions
1) do matches cause cancer?
2) if so, was 20 matches enough to cause anything?
3) are there any other harmful effects of this?

thank you very much

Replies(1)

Dr. Nikola Gjuzelov , MD

replied on November 29th, 2006

Cancers Answer A1764

There are 2 types of matches: Safety matches and Strike-anywhere matches. Safety matches contain antimony (III) sulfide and potassium chlorate in the head while Strike-anywhere matches contain phosphorus (III) sulfide and potassium per-chlorate in the head. You shouldn’t use matches for purposes as you described any more because all these substances can be toxic.

DISCLAIMER: "Ask a Doctor" questions are answered by certified physicians and other medical professionals who volunteer their time on eHealth Forum. For more information about experts participating in the "Ask a Doctor" Network, please visit our medical experts page. You may also visit our Cancers , for moderated patient to patient support and information.

The information provided on eHealth Forum is designed to improve, not replace, the relationship between a patient and his/her own physician. Personal consultation(s) with a qualified medical professional is the proper means for diagnosing any medical condition.

This question has been answered by the doctor. This topic is now open for public discussion, however no comments below this point will be answered by a doctor.

Learn About Us

Get Help

Join In

Do More

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health
information:
verify here.

The site is not a replacement for professional medical opinion, examination, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your medical doctor or other qualified health professional before starting any new treatment or making any changes to existing treatment. Do not delay seeking or disregard medical advice based on information written by any author on this site. No health questions and information on eHealth Forum is regulated or evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and therefore the information should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a medical doctor. Posts made to these forums express the views and opinions of the author, and not the administrators, moderators, or editorial staff and hence eHealth Forum and its principals will accept no liabilities or responsibilities for the statements made. Schizophrenia health sitemap.
This page was last updated on January 1, 2009.
© 2008 eForums, Inc