Resin Toxicity

It can cause rashes too, esp if anyone is allergic to resin. And yes, some people have worse reactions to resin dust than others. For some people it causes inflammation of the skin and shortness of breath.

 

Nope. If there were, all the people who have Silicosis and Coal Miner's Lung could be cured. Once bad particulate stuff is in your lungs, it is in there for good.

 

Just a note, the resin dust itself isn't toxic. It's the fact that resin dust is so fine you can easily breathe it into your lungs but your lungs can't process the actual material, so it builds up there. Like Ashbet says it's cumulative, pretty similar to habitual smoking... Add to that the possibility of lead and who knows what else in these knock off dolls you may as well pick up cheap bootleg cigarettes while you're at it ^ ^;

 

that's what toxic MEANS. particles that cannot be processed by the body and therefore lead to buildup and interference with the body's functions. that is why the dust is considered toxic, same as why radioactive waste is toxic, why paint particles can be considered toxic, fine sawdust, powdered silicates and on and on and on -- our bodies cannot process it.

so yes, resin dust IS toxic. what it is NOT is poisonous. the words are not freely interchangeable in meaning.

... um... end rant, sorry, please let's get back on topic now.

*embarrassed*

*goes back into hiding*

 

Sorry for getting totally off topic here... but I'm pretty sure the dust is toxic, and not just because it builds up in your lungs.

The first time I sanded one of my dolls I did it inside with no protection. After awhile I felt totally light headed and almost fell off my stool. I basically got high from the smell and from breathing it in.

I also remember that one member here had to sell of all her dolls because she was very sensitive to the resin and it was making her really sick. She wasn't sanding them or anything, just having them around was bad for her.

 

I got one of my Chinese speaking friends to snoop around the Loli doll forums a while ago. A lot of people complained of flu like symptoms, light headedness and dizzy spells and skin irritation after handling the doll. I think Loli doll tried to pass it off as coincidence. They would give very short and vague replies like "it is flu season" or "you are just sensitive to the materials, it will pass" (I'm afraid that was the best translation we could get)ect... It just makes me shudder to think what is in the resin to create such a horrible reaction.
I often wonder what the quality of the resin is like from these other bootleg companies. Can they get much worse than what we have already seen? I'd feel sorry for anyone who had the misfortune to find out.

 

Most any sort of chemical that we come into contact with daily -- cleaning supplies, for example, which are very prevalent -- have the potential for being toxic in either sense of the word to some people. Perfumes are toxic to me - dizzy spells and skin irritation. My new carpet is doing what new carpets do - outgassing chemical odors. I'm feeling gross because of it. Some people can manage resin odor and some can't; and that makes perfect sense.

I suspect that common sense is in order. Don't fill your immediate breathing space with resin dust (Would you go into a coal mine without a face mask? same idea). If you start feeling adverse effects from the odor, remove yourselves from the dolls. I don't know that the vast majority of our beloved critters will, under ordinary circumstances, cause one of us to suddenly have one leg get shorter than the other (bad paraphrase of a very old joke from a George Carlin comedy album from the 70's).

Now the thing about the dolls with straight urethane, rather than polyurethane, is well worth keeping a watchful eye open about. Different chemical constitution, and it is not something you want around yourself all the time. *shudder* By the same token, I really don't think we should assume that a doll is toxic just because of where it's made, any more than we should assume some negative attribute about a person because of their looks.

I hope that was understandable. Exhaustion reigns.

 

Is it also like smoking and eventually you'll hack up the resin dust? I sanded resin kits for years without protection before I got into this hobby and found out resin dust was toxic.

 

resin fumes could get you a bit dizzy, but i think it depends on the person..anyway just make sure you have a place to run to for fresh air

 

I sand allot of dolls for my commissions,
and i noticed some resins seem to smell more toxic and has more affect on my lungs then others.

Luts ns and doc are really close and really light.. Soom,seredipity and luts bw(<--bw is different??) are somewhere in the middle and most other brands are.
Dollzone was really strong.. and this isn't something with chinees resin because Aod was really nice.

I sand with a open window..or with water/under water..but with water it's hard to see what you are doing so for face mods this isn't an option.
I also wear mouth cap thingy's ^_^

Btw, i can assure you faceup sealer is way worse then any resin you will sand in you're life.
But just make sure your pets aren't in the room when you are working on dolls,
my cat gets runny eyes when i'm working on resin sometimes :0

 

I just came back from spraying my doll with Mr.Super Clear, in the patio, left it out for a few minutes, and came back, and the fumes from Mr. Super Clear is also giving me a headache, and my eyes feel very taught. I love this hobby and business, as I do faceups too, but I'm beginning to wonder if it's all worth it for me or the enviornment.

 

Very good point Naiara, always remember your pets when using anything potentially harmfull, they have smaller lungs and every animal reacts differently to chemicals and substances e.g. chocolate for humans(especially dark/plain) is incredibly poisonous to dogs as their bodies can't process certain chemicals in it (a large bar of dark chocolate is enough to kill a retriever sized dog!!), birds are incredibly sensative to fumes of any kind which is why miners used to rather cruelly use canaries to detect gases in coal mines, if the canary dropped dead they knew there was gas, if you have fish, sprays and dust will pollute their water.

 

Pretty scarey what resin dust can dot o you.

I'm too scared to even touch my dolls and sand them msyelf, so don't think I'll ever have to worry about this, but it is always nice to have the information stored ni the back of my head if ever I need it or if anyone ever asks.

 

i sanded my doll too, i got watery eyes and my nose got all allergic-like x_x i'm going to wear goggles hehe.

i think, once in your life isnt that bad, i mean, think about the smog and whatnot in the air. basic protection should do it no?

 

Urethane is NOT an ingredient in Polyurethane, (it's rather a misnomer, kind of like lead pencils, which actually contain graphite, and not any lead) nor can it be used to create dolls- urethane (ethyl carbonate) dissolves in water- it's a crystalline substance at room temperature.

Polyurethane is often called urethane, yes, but it's not the same thing. Confusing, but important to learn the difference.

Wiki has a couple of informative articles on the subjects:
Polyurethane- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyurethane
Ethyl Carbonate (urethane)- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethyl_carbamate

Always, always wet sand if possible- if not, try to use a respirator, and outside. The tiny non-biodegradable particles that are created when sanding tend to get everywhere- in fabrics, in the air, your eyes, your lungs... and once those particles get into your lungs, they don't come out. A mechanical action of the particles harms your lungs- resulting in Silicosis:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicosis

It's scary, but apparently, the chemicals in sealants can be even worse.

 

after years of having them my luts cp dolls still smell terrible.
i keep them in a cabinet alone and whenever i open the door,omg stinks like mad chems.

i do believe they are toxic, but oh so cute

the only dolls that ever smell like this are the luts.and i have washed them all a few times. no dice still stinks.

when i had them in my bedroom i was waking up hacking every morning for about 3 months( i got like 10 luts btw.)

so i got them out of my bedroom and guess what, no more hacking.
now i have dollmore sitting on a bedroom chair with me in that small bedroom but no problems.

 

Agreed...but its like ANYTHIING that is in dust form and inhaled...well art supples basicly.

The same goes for chalk pastels, plaster dust ( before you mix it with water) and other dry media that is pretty much in dust form.

Teachers in highschool mentioned chalk dust once, and i didnt touch it for a while....but the we carved and sanded plaster sculptures and nothing was mentioned then (gr 9 also). In grade 12 my teacher got mad at me and told me to put something over my face for dust since its bad for you.

In the end anything that has dust as a result is bad...it can cause problems which I have heard can cause you lungs to almost harden which is a bit freaky.

 

I'm not saying it's good for you but it won't kill you to in hale a little bit every once in a while, while sanding. I do suggest a one of those doctor type masks you can buy at a hardware store among several other places cheap, especially if you do body mods/sanding often on yours or others dolls. It's also better to wet sand so the resin isn't airbourne.

 

For real?

I have them in my room too, and I have never experienced something like this.

I have always wondered about the resin fumes, since someone mentioned in another thread long ago that resin is always giving fumes.
I asked that time, but nobody answered my question.

How toxic are the resin fumes our dolls, as resin chunks, emit?

This worries me since I have a lot of them. The only times I have sanded/modded them ( to separate fingers, slightly open eyes) I have done it with the resin part dipped in water and I have only done it 3 times with 3 different dolls, so I don't worry too much about the dust. I'm too chicken to mod them anyway.

But recently I have noticed that some metals, especially my silver necklaces and charms, have been turning yellowish as opposite to black fast. I dip them in this silver cleaning solution and they're back to their original color. But what's causing it?? Is it really the fumes? It might be something else of course, like the weather, since it's been rather humid/hot lately.

But still... I'd love to know *worries*

 

The reaction to fumes of any kind is technically chemical sensitivity rather than toxicity, because some people react more than others to the fumes. I just am paranoid about all fumes because of my birds--I have 10 parrots ranging from Blue and Gold Macaws to Goffin Cockatoos--and they are incredibly sensitive to chemical fumes (which can kill them). Rule of thumb for the signs of chemical sensitivity is that if you cough, sneeze or have headaches around something that has an odor, pleasant or otherwise, you are sensitive to it and should take precautions around it.

 

This is kinda scaring me now..I really want a doll but what will happen if I am allergic to resin...I will have to give up my love of dolls then right?

Also...I didn't know the resin had a smell to it ._. This is pretty new to me..How bad is the smell to it..or what does it also resemble?

 

When you get a new doll and open the box it tends to have a pretty apparent "new-resin" smell. It's kinda like the "new car" smell of the BJD worldXD Leaving the doll in an open space for a few days usually makes the smell go away in my experience (I have 2 floating heads, 2 floating bodies, and 1 complete dollXD ). It's not that bad to me, but if you're more sensitive then I suppose it might be unpleasant or irritating at first.
If you're allergic then, yeah, I suppose you have to give up the hobby (depending on allergy severity). It's extremely rare, though, to have a resin allergy in the first place, let alone one sever enough to make you quit the hobby.

 

I don't know about the loosing smell. (This is on and off topic btw) I have a Rasendou head, and while sanding him, even under water, he had an almost gasoline smell. (He doesn't as far as I can tell when dry.)

I also have a resin kit that had the same smell...and has for the 4 years I've had it. It's finally gone away now that it's completely painted, but that makes me wonder about the dolls. (I know Volks uses SD-grade resin for their kits, but I don't know about other companies.)

 

Does anyone know if DOD use toxic resin for their dolls? I have a really sensitive nose, and so I'd like to find out as much as possible about dolls from DOD before buying them.

Has anyone faced problems with doll resin from DOD?

 

Umm... so, just to clarify:

the dolls themselves aren't toxic, only the dust they give off if you sand them. So, if you never sand them, you shouldn't have any problems, correct?

And btw... has anyone had any problems with the resin from DOD dolls?

(what's the url/link to the forever doll website? my friend lives in china and I want to warn her about it)

 

DoD resin is great. xD Never had any 'problems'... but what do you mean by that exactly?

Forever Doll was shut down by Volks, so I don't believe they have a website anymore. Could be wrong though.

 

Thanks! ^_^ Oh, I just meant whether the resin has a terrible smell that lasts a long time (I know they all have a smell at first) and whether or not any health problems arose from having contact or being in proximity to the resin.

 

I have two DOCs, and none of them smelled strongly.

I think the strongest smelling resin (at least in my experience, from the dolls I own) came from Luts and Dollzone, as I opened their boxes. That didn't happen with my DOD, Volks and AR dollies though.

I once received a MNF Shiwoo that spent 2 weeks in his box while he was in transit, and when I finally got him out the smell was so darn strong I felt sick, and I had to leave him sitting to air in some shorts and a sleeveless shirt til it was all gone, it took at least 3 days

Poor kid.

 

Thanks! ^_^

Ah... I've heard many problems from luts lately... I was thinking about buying their Dion, Cian, and Bori dolls too... o.O

 

Hi! Well I have a few Luts doll and they haven't smelled too strong of resin. The dolls that I have that did smell strongly (only two of my DIM dolls) don't smell resin~y anymore though. It took about a month for them to lose that resin smell. Senior Delf Cian didn't smell resin~y at all (and he shipped within a month w/ face-up. and his is well made--no weird resin gaps or anything in the insides). ^^

 

Okay, I was just wondering if there's a place I could find symptoms of resin poisoning and such. I'm not feeling sick or anything but I did, like, one gentle circle of sanding over a tiny space before realizing that sanding isn't my thing... and I didn't have a mask.

I'm just paranoid and... yeah. I looked it up online and it says things like difficulty breathing, vomiting, irritation of the eyes... anything else one should know about?

(And for reference, if I ever attempt sanding again I'm using a mask. XD)

 

I've heard that resin powder can occur cancer if we breathing many of it...
but, i'm not sure about resin that use to casting mold is the same?.

ps. sorry if wrong spelling.

 

Just relax, if you're feeling well there no reason to panic. I've done some minor sanding without mask a couple of times, and that was years ago, but I'm not dead yet >_>

 

Thanks so much, everyone! It was a big help, I didn't know about the skin rash thing. Luckily there was no evidence of one for me, so hoorah!

I'll definately be more careful if I ever decide to sand again... which I doubt I will. XD;

 

I've done major sanding without a mask, and I'm not dead yet. >_> I have trouble breathing in masks, so I just hold my breath most of the time.

No, I do not endorse my plan of action.

Skin rashes and severe allergies are rare, from what I understand. So you should be fine.

~Anrui

 

Umm... I'm not positive, so don't take my word for it, but I heard somewhere about coughing, scratchy throat, and stuff like that... I think anything related to your respiratory system.

 

That's to do with resin dust.... it's best to take a vacuum to the place where you sanded, I think. O.O;

I think resin when solid (and large enough not to get into your lungs) is very much non-toxic. At least the kind our dolls are in. I did hear that there used to be 'toxic' resin kids though. D:

 

I think most people that attempt sanding are very well aware of how dangerous resin can be, and use precautions such as masks, sanding under water etc to make sure they don't get hurt themselves (if you don't - please do that).
However, resin is not only toxic for humans, and when finished you should not pour the water with all the resin dust into the sink! It is as bad for the lakes and the fishies as it is for you.
Pour it into a bottle and leave it to the pharmacy/drug store or a recycling station, or wherever you leave that kind of liquids that doesn't belong in the wastewater, just as you do with medicine that's too old. They can take care of it, but normal sewage treatment can not.
Please take care of the environment

Edit: someone seemes to have changed the title x3 I think when there's an idea to leave something in to the pharmacy is if you've sanded all the seams on one doll or more, basically when the water looks milky...

 

Wow, thanks a lot! I've been wondering about this. Just a question though, they do it for you for free? And where can I find recycling stations?

 

My state doesn't have easily located recycling centers either (Why? Who knows. We have to pay extra for such things.)

I'll be sure to look where the nearest one is, though! I'm also going to ask my schools photo lab, since they have to dispose of their developing agents in a safe way. I bet someone there would know where I can take my resin-water.

 

Perrett: I have no idea how it is on other places, but there is no fee for it here at least .p I can't tell where recycling stations are located in NY either, but I think they wouldn't be too hard to find.. I mean... They are ment to be found and used x)

Alchemical: Asking them would be a good idea, I think ^^

Also, I found osmething strange when I closed the bottle I used yesterday... There is some kind of chemical reaction, because all the oxygen in the bottle disappeared during the night... Oo I have no idea why, someone could maybe enlighten me on this..? ^^'''

 

Cinnamon Tea, I think we might be a bit more fortunate here in the Nordic countries where recycling and chemical waste disposal places are a lot more common than in other parts of the world. Not that they are overly common here either, I myself have to travel for 1 hour to get to one. There is actually a fee to pay for disposal of chemical waste like photochemicals here in Norway, I do not know if there are such a fee for resinwater, or if the recyclingstation even lets you deliver it.

 

I had no idea o.o' I thought they wanted people to leave their chemical waste, not make it complicated.. <<
Actually I've never left resin water myself, I've just went to places with mdicine and such (all the sandings I've done have been just small sandings so there's no need to collect the leftovers) but when I bought sandingpaper, the man in the shop asked me what I was about to sand, and when I told him what kind of material the dolls are made of he told me I have to leave it to the pharmacy... So then I made this thread. I don't know about fees or that it would be so complicated o.o

 

Good point, you may be able to strain the water through filter paper, then recycle the solid resin dust with the rest of your plastic recycling.

 

Okay guys, so a bit of irony for ya'll. My first doll from Custom House is coming in a few weeks, and I'm sitting here all freaked out that I'm going to be alergic to it and die or kill the family or kitty or somthing... and then I realise the whole reason I'm reading this in the first place is because I'm in bed feeling like I have the flu because I'm alergic to the state of Texas. Any Texans or US southerners who can vouch for me on this one? Freaking everything blooms and while you should be skipping out in the flowers you're wishing they would all wilt already so you could breathe again. I also wear scented lotions and perfumes if I wanna be a sexy mama for some flirtation session, even though they make my nose go raw. Anyway, resin toxin still a bit of a concern, but I had to roll my eyes at myself for a minute there.

So a few questions. Anybody have experience with Custom House's resin? They call it "urethane". That's...not true, right? One of the reasons I bought from this company is that I've heard they really do act by caring for their customers as much as they say they do. Any comments? Anyone gotten a "dusty" doll? Anyone familiar with the resin they use?

Also, is what we're saying here basically wash your doll, air it out when you first get it, use all the precautions in sanding/modifying, and put it away/sell if you start feeling sick? I know nothing is worth risking your health (well, maybe...some things!) but I still really want to collect these beautiful dolls and am hoping I don't have a negative experience, especially with how especially sensitive I usually am to scents.

 

I live in Texas; I'm not terribly allergic to the pollen and stuff but most eveeryone else is and the cars are now covered in it!
The resin is likely urethane-polyurethane; that stuff is in alot of household things I think. 'tis true that some are allergic or sensitive to it but I don't think that many people have it that bad. I read that someone has a reaction but only when dust is flying about; so wear a mask during modding and clean when done modding.
I don't know about the doll you're getting but my DOD had a strong odor; if really bad just unstring, wash, and air out.
I was worried myself because I have easily irritated skin but it turned out fine.

 

wow, i was considering sanding a doll because their eyes were too small, but im kind of scared to now..precautions!!. Of course you have to wear a mask when any kind of dust is in the air. Like we sanded our wooden floor, to replace the polish, there was dust found in little corners; even though the sander had a dust catching bag.

 

No, don't be scared! I sanded my first doll and it was fine. Just don't sand in a closed area and wet/dry sandpaper is great so the dust does not fly so much. I did wear a mask and kept a damp paper towel while I sanded to wipe the resin dust so it could not fly around and make everyone else sick; I was outside too.
In the sticky there should be tutorials on how to do it right - safely.

 

I just recently found a cosplayer (who also does doll mods) who does these excellent details on weapons, etc. has had her finger deform due to resin (and other stuff)

*Not for the queasy*
http://kisaragik.blog46.fc2.com/blog-entry-906.html

 

I'd recommend wet sanding so that the water would catch the resin dust instead of it being all in the air, really any dust is bad for you if you breathe it in -_-.

 

Anyone who sands or mods resin without wearing the proper respirator and using the proper tools and working in the proper environment is a person who is incredibly and dangerously irresponsible with their health. The same applies to spraying sealants.

 

resurrecting an old thread here, but all i ever see is about sanding. and i eventually plan on cutting some resin, not sanding it, but just carefully slicing some fingers off with a craft knife or something. (haha, sounds so bad, but it's not.) so if i'm not sanding, i should be safe without wearing my respirator, right? as long as i'm careful in my workspace, don't want to leave little scraps around for the cats to eat. (and is the aerosol respirator for using msc good for use when i do sand something?)

 

Cutting the resin still emits fumes. i have a SD Luts (two boys and two girls) while sanding them i cut some of the larger seams and that was the only time i noticed the smell. I'd still be safe and wear a respirator (thankfully my fiancee has a gas-mask obsession and a few of them fit me nicely ^.^)

 

different people have different reactions. You can also develop an allergy or an intolerance to anything. Its all to do with hormones and the like really.

I myself am not allergic to anything, and my lungs are so weak that it makes no difference to me if I wear a resperator or not.

When I spray a doll, I hold my breath and do it at arms length, thats fine for me, but dont do it yourself, its just how I do it.

Cant say I've had a reaction to resin yet, but then again, I've not breathed it in before.

But yeah, invest in a dust mask at least, it does help.

also, I only ever spray, outside. Spraying outside is very very good, but DO NOT do it with the wind towards you, make sure the wind is blowing AWAY from you!

If you cant spray outside, then make sure you have an extractor fan going and all the windows and doors open as possible. If you dont have a mask or anything available. Tie a scarf around your mouth and nose, its not ideal, but it really does help at least a little.

 

OMG..that's creepy! what happened to her finger...why did it happen?
Another thing...I live in an apartment complex where children plays sometimes, and I feel so bad about spraying Mr. Super Clear in my patio. Would that cause danger to other kids around the play area? They're not directly in my way, but I feel the spray will spread in the air.

 

When I got my doll, she smelled and had this 'layer' all over her.. It looked like dust.. of some sort? O-o
I could see my fingerprints when I put my fingers on her, one lil' wet sponge and it was gone. I had no allergic reaction though.

 

Oh my, after reading this thread if feel al queasy

I don't own a BJD yet but I'm waiting for my Luts Senior Delf Eveline so I'd like to hear a few more people's opinions on Luts' resin. What I read so far was a little contradicting...

Also, what exactly do you do when they have a strong smell? Let them sit outside naked or something? Or is inside fine? I wouldn't feel safe leaving my girl outside.
I'm planning to coat her completely with MSC - would that help with the smell (if there should be any)?

Thanks in advance!

 

All this toxic talk is bound to make people afraid of having their dolls. XD I have ALWAYS had a screwy biological system. I am unable to eat a lot of foods, can't use certain detergents (clothes, dish or body soap), am DEATHLY allergic to smoke of any kind and CANNOT BE IN CONTACT WITH ANY PLASTIC PRODUCTS.

Flip-flops made of those squishy rubber soles and thick plastic straps Nah ah. Not able. I actually get a red, swollen irritated RASH from any platic products, like gloves and stuff. Which is inconvienient for me because EVERYTHING is plastic now-a-days. Even our precious resin kids are a FORM of plastic, but much more durable than what most people are used to seeing as plastic.

I haven't noticed a chemical odor from Liina, but he was a week out of his box by the time I got him, and I know I'll be allergic to his body, so I try not to touch the actual resin much. I make him long-sleeved clothes and move his arms and legs by grasping him through the fabric.

Some people are going to be more sensitive to the chemical compound of resin than others. All plastic products continue to release the gasses that are contained after you open them, but eventually they release such a MINISCULE ammount that it's not longer measurable and you stop smelling it. As long as you aren't holding your kids up to your faces and SNIFFING them, just to see if they smell of resin, you should be okay. The dust, that is someone elses forte, not mine. I can only imagine what that would do to MY body. Little tiny plastic bits INSIDE the lungs of a highly allergic person. Great idea. Absolutly. *eyeroll*

I don't plan on sanding or modding my boys at all, unless its to fix a faceup, or do a tattoo (not that the current ones have any of those, but I have a few boys later who will) and that would probably be done at my friend's house, with her help, because I'm afraid to do it myself.

But that's my babble on the 'toxic doll' bit. Gasses = do not sniff dolls. Meh.

 

I just recently received my Heliot who had resin dust collected in his hoof pieces. I tried to wipe/blow the worst of it out then went over it with a wet cloth but there was still some collected in the drilled holes.

As I was putting him together I could see tiny puffs of dust come out of the holes and land on the carpet, which I hoovered up afterwards.

I intend to give him a full bath to clean out the holes properly but I was wondering if small incidents like this where I was not wearing a mask but did not directly inhale any dust (as far as I know) will make a difference? Or is it something where one needs to be in the presence of resin dust for extended periods often?

 

Um... Just to clarify this.
Are the fumes which come from the doll toxic?
Or are they the harmless "new doll smell" people keep talking about...
Because I've been close up with my doll to inspect her and I've smelt it.
Call me paranoid but I'm frightened of toxins and poisons.
>.<