Avoid Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs in Your Workspace

Are you using Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs to light your miniature painting or model building workspace? Well, according Stony Brook University, you shouldn't be, as they are unhealthy for your skin.

According to a study Stony Brook did in 2012, CFLs emit ultraviolet (UV) radiation that causes damage to healthy skin cells. You can read about it here:
http://commcgi.cc.stonybrook.edu/am2/publish/General_University_News_2/SBU_Study_Reveals_Harmful_Effects_of_CFL_Bulbs_to_Skin.shtml

If you need more proof, here is some further reading:

• Here's Scientific American's article on CFLs:
  http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-compact-fluorescent-lightbulbs-damage-skin/
• The Canadian government also did a study:
  http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/sites/oee.nrcan.gc.ca/files/pdf/residential/personal/pdf/hc-cfl-executive-summary-2009-12-21-final-eng.pdf
• Here's the FDA's recommendations:
  http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/RadiationEmittingProductsandProcedures/HomeBusinessandEntertainment/ucm116400.htm
• Even the Health Protection Agency of the United Kingdom looked into CFL ultraviolet output. The link to the report is broken, so here's a link to a Daily Mail article:
  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2626564/The-medical-experts-refuse-use-low-energy-lightbulbs-homes-Professors-stocked-old-style-bulbs-protect-against-skin-cancer-blindness-So-YOU-worried.html
• If you really want to go down that rabbit hole, there's a whole wikipedia page dedicated to fluorescent lamps and health:
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorescent_lamps_and_health

Now, I will point out that most of the above references state that they see the biggest issue when working within a foot of the light source and say that generally being around CFLs is not a problem. But, my hands are usually less than two feet away, and I'm sure my big bald head gets some of that UV goodness.

I have since swapped out my two 100W daylight compact fluorescent bulbs for 100W equivalent daylight LED bulbs. They are just as bright and don't have the warmup time my old CFLs did.