Necklace Air Purifiers: Do They Really Work?
You’ve probably seen something like what the lady in the picture has on her neck. Maybe even considered buying one.
Yes, that’s a necklace air purifier. But the question is: do these portable air purifiers really work?
This article will further discuss what you need to know about necklace air purifiers: how they work, their effectiveness against viruses like COVID-19, how they can affect your body, and whether you should consider alternatives.
Air Purifier Necklaces: What Are They?
Air purifier necklaces gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the name suggests, these devices are portable and personal air purifiers worn as a necklace. Unlike home air purifiers, the small size and light weight of these air purifiers means that users can carry or wear them wherever they go. You might know someone, if not you yourself, who purchased this necklace air purifier!
How Do Air Purifier Necklaces Work?
Due to their size and nature, most of the air purifier necklaces do not have replaceable filters like those typically found in home air purifiers. Instead, they work by ionization. This is a process in which airborne particles are negatively charged, attracting them to nearby surfaces such as walls, floors, tabletops or curtains. In this way, the airborne pollutants move away from the person wearing the necklace air purifier because of the negative ions produced by the device. However, they will still remain in the room where the wearer of the air purifier is.
Air purifier necklaces are either rechargeable or battery operated and can last for up to 100 hours of use.
Are Air Purifier Necklaces Effective for COVID?
Air purifier necklaces claim to get rid of airborne pollutants such as germs, bacteria, toxins, and viruses. Because COVID-19 is a virus that mainly spreads through the air, many chose to buy this type of purifier. They believe that this device can give them clean personal air. In fact, even the Department of Health (DOH) initially said it was okay to use the necklace air purifier.
Despite this, there are no actual studies that prove air purifier necklaces to be effective against COVID-19. Necklace air purifiers do not clean the air, they simply move the particles away from the user. So if the nearby surfaces where the airborne contaminants were attached are scratched, scraped, grazed or otherwise abraded, the particles are simply resuspended into the air. The DOH later clarifies that they do not endorse or recommend the use of these air purifiers because there is no evidence that they are effective against COVID-19.
Air Purifier Necklaces Can Harm Your Body
Not only do air purifier necklaces offer no real protection against COVID-19, but these wearable air purifiers can actually harm your body. The ionization function of these devices creates ozone, which can damage your lungs and other tissues in your respiratory system. One study also explains how these necklace air purifiers could lead to “elevated ozone concentration within the near-head region” while still having poor performance when it comes to removing airborne particles. In the end, necklace air purifiers could be doing more harm than good!
What you can do
If necklace air purifiers neither help nor ruin your chances of dealing with COVID-19, here are some tips you can do to protect your health and provide yourself with clean air:
When outdoors, follow the basic health protocols:
- wear a mask
- maintain social distance
- wash your hands regularly
If you are indoors, it is best to:
- turn on your fans or open your windows for better airflow
- choose better air purifiers to improve the indoor air quality
- keep your surfaces clean
Personal Air Purifier Alternatives to Wearable Necklaces
Instead of wearing and carrying the ionized air purifiers, you can choose other personal air purifiers that can give you truly clean air on the go. Air purifiers that have been proven to be more effective are those with HEPA filters. HEPA, or High Efficiency Particulate Air [filter], is a type of pleated mechanical air filter that can remove at least 99.97% or airborne particles such as dust, pollen, mold, bacteria, as small as 0.3 microns (µm).
HEPA air purifiers work by taking in air, trapping the airborne contaminants in the filter, and expelling the cleaned air through the air vents. HEPA air purifiers are preferred for personal use as they can be put in bedrooms and small offices. They also vary in size, and most of the smaller ones can be considered portable when moving from room to room. Because they are more powerful compared to necklace air purifiers, HEPA air purifiers need to be plugged into an electrical outlet.
So far, so good, right? But what if there was a better air purifier than the HEPA ones on the market?
The Best Alternative to Necklace Purifier: The Defender®
While necklace and HEPA air purifiers continue to be marketable, there is actually a better, if not the best, air purifier in the market. The Defender® air purifier is a US FDA cleared medical device and has been proven to be three times better than HEPA air purifiers, capturing up to 99.99% of airborne particles, or those that are 0.1 microns (µm) in size. It is also certified to eliminate COVID-19, with its COVID-capture technology tested by Intertek. You will also be amazed at the Defender®’s high MERV rating: 19 out of 20! MERV, or Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values, show that higher ratings have better filters when it comes to trapping certain types of particles.
Although the Defender® Air Purifier is not wearable, it is also portable from room to room with its lightweight structure and overall design. Despite the need to be plugged in, it can run 24/7 without consuming too much power and does not produce any harmful chemicals or gases. It also purifies rooms up to 65 square meters in size, making it suitable for bedrooms, living rooms, condo units, offices, classrooms, and more! The Defender® has been trusted around the world for nearly 100 years.
To learn more about the Defender® Air Purifier, please explore our website.
You can also click here to schedule a free demo with us!
Shop for the Defender® Air Purifier on Shopee, Lazada, or our Online Store.