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Key Takeaways
Nonstick pans make it easy to fry eggs.
People who inhale these toxic fumes may develop flu-like symptoms a few hours later.
Some cases could be from occupational exposure or other sources, Brown said.
Supersmario / Getty Images
Even if an association was established, healthcare providers don’t often report cases to poison control centers.
Are Nonstick Pans Bad for Your Health?
Chronic exposure to polymer fumes could also make asthma or other respiratory conditions worse.
However, the full extent of the long-term impact of PFAS or polymer fumes is unclear.
So thats another good reason to discard any cookware or dishware thats damaged, Johnson-Arbor said.
If you experience polymer fume fever symptoms, move away from the fume source and drink lots of water.
Over-the-counter pain medications, like ibuprofen and acetaminophen, can also help relieve some of the symptoms.
Most people will tolerate it well.
Anyone with a pet bird should take extra precautions to ventilate the kitchen and to not overheat nonstick pans.
Most types of cooking, such as boiling, steaming, and frying, wont exceed the 500-degree threshold.
Its best to open kitchen windows and use exhaust fans when youre cooking to avoid inhaling the smoke.
With the right precautions, most people can safely use undamaged nonstick pans.
You may consider switching to alternatives like cast iron or stainless steel cookware to avoid exposure to harmful fumes.
Missouri Poison Center.Are you at risk of metal fume fever or polymer fume fever?
Correia MS, Horowitz BZ.Polymer fume fever.
StatPearls Publishing; 2024.
Environmental Protection Agency.Our current understanding of the human health and environmental risks of PFAS.
2024;929:172577. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172577
Poison Control.Fumes from burning plastic, welding, and “Teflon flu”.
Chemours Company.Safety of Teflon nonstick coatings.
