Glittery iPhone Cases Recalled Due to Chemical Burn, Skin Irritation
Toggle Dark Mode
A recall has been issued for liquid-filled, glittery iPhone cases after claims of leakages causing chemical burns and other skin ailments, according to a new report.
MixBin Electronics, the company who manufactures the glitter cases, issued the recall on Tuesday, Aug. 1. The company’s cases are sold through its own website as well as various high-profile online and brick-and-mortar retailers across the globe, including Amazon, Henri Bendel, Tory Burch, Victoria’s Secret and Nordstrom Rack.
The recall affects 24 different models of phone cases for the iPhone 6, iPhone 6s and iPhone 7s lineups. Overall, around 275,000 cases sold across the globe are being recalled. An estimated 263,000 of the recalled iPhone cases were sold in the U.S. from about October 2015 to June of this year. Additionally, about 11,400 cases were sold in Canada and about 400 in Mexico in the same period.
About 24 cases of skin irritations or chemical burns have been reported worldwide, about 19 of which occurred in the U.S., according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. One person has been reported to have suffered permanent scarring from a chemical burn, while another reported burns and swelling to various parts of her body including her neck, leg, chest, upper body, face and hands, The Verge reported.
The MixBin cases, which are manufactured in China, have been commercially available for about two years and retail from $15 to $65 a piece. They feature glitter suspended in an unknown liquid. According to MixBin’s press release, there’s a risk of “skin irritation, blisters or burns if the liquid contained in the phone case leaks and comes into contact with the skin due to breakage of cracking of the case.” It’s currently unknown what the liquid is, or what compounds it might contain that could cause the skin ailments.
MixBin is urging owners of its glittery cases to immediately stop using them and to contact the company for a full refund. The company currently has a list of every case affected by the recall on its website, although it may be hard to identify a specific model from the pictures, as many are fairly generic. Additionally, the CPSC is maintaining its own list of affected cases, with model numbers and UPC codes — but, of course, most people have probably disposed of the packaging by now.
Are Android Glitter Cases Recalled?
It’s worth noting that, while only iPhone cases have been affected by the recall, there are still similar cases for various Android phones that are widely available. Since many of them are likely also manufactured similarly to MixBin’s cases, it might be best exercise caution with any liquid-filled glittery case. At least until there’s more information about the liquid and its contents.
If you own a glittery case, it might be best to take it off your phone and swap it out for something else, even if you’re not sure if it’s been affected by the recall. Better safe than sorry.
