Health warning on low-energy bulbs
"Certain forms of eczema - some of which are very common - do flare up badly anywhere near fluorescent lights, so these people have to just be around incandescent lights."
A much smaller number of patients with very severe light sensitivity are unable to tolerate exposure to the small amount of ultra-violet light given off by the new-style bulbs, he added.
There are a "significant number" of people in the UK who are already unable to visit or work in buildings with fluorescent lighting, said Prof Hawk, adding: "It is people who will have to be exposed to them in their homes that we are worried for, and I very strongly suggest that incandescent bulbs remain available for use in the home."
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080105.COLOUR05/TPStory/Entertainment
Shedding Light on CFLs
Everyone fixates on the fact that it is almost 10 times as energy-efficient. Because of this, we are supposed to forget that many fluorescents have a flicker issue that negatively affects some people. They have a start-up time lag so they are not good to use over your stairs if you are always in a rush. Most can't be used outside when it is really cold. Unless you buy a special "three-way" CFL, they can't be dimmed. All contain small amounts of mercury (be very careful if you break one!) so they cannot be thrown out. And, except for Ikea, most stores are happy to sell them but will not take them back for recycling.
But worst of all is their light content. They give off a diffuse light, more like a cloudy day than a sunny one, which is depressing. (And if you have the misfortune to spend your days under large swaths of fluorescent lighting, be sure to get away from it on your lunch break. It makes us tired and depressed. To cope with fluorescent light, our endocrine glands pump out cortisol, a stress hormone. When it is exhausted, we are more susceptible to colds and illness.)
Even the "soft white" CFLs do not give off the same warm tones and crisp light we are used to. They make existing colours look wrong.
http://www.canada.com/chilliwacktimes/news/letters/story.html?id=b857e59d-b20a-4093-8d45-e196f0fffd5a
http://www.dogflu.ca/01052008/06/low_energy_light_bulbs_pose_health_risks_for_people_with_skin_conditions
Includes a photo of effected skin.
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