Laptop Use can Cause Skin Rash in Legs

A latest study has indicated that placing a laptop computer on your legs and thighs for prolonged periods can cause skin rash to develop on the thighs or on parts of the legs exposed to the heat.

The study published was in the Journal "Pediatrics" on October 4 2010. The "Pediatrics" is an online journal published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Researchers from the University Hospital Basel, Department of Dermatology, in Switzerland, conducted the study. The focus was on a twelve year old boy who had developed skin rash after using his laptop for several hours playing games. The laptop was held by the boy on his legs. The boy never changed the position of the laptop.

The boy was diagnosed as having developed Erythema ab igne, or Toasted Skin Syndrome, which is a skin disease characterised by a red reticulated or web-like skin rash.

It was reported that boy was the youngest to have developed Erythema ab igne due to laptop usage. Since 2004, there had been ten such cases.

People who develop skin rashes due to laptop usage are affected by the heating up of the laptop. A laptop has a number of components such as a fan or an optical drive that can generate heat. When the laptop is placed on the legs, this heat can affect the skin in the thighs area and cause the condition known as Toasted Skin Syndrome, Erythema ab igne or Fire Stains.

Why Heat causes Skin Rash, Toasted Skin Syndrome

When you keep a source of infrared radiation or heat such as a laptop or a hot water bottle on your skin for prolonged period of time, the internals of the skin starts getting affected. The heat causes the enlargement of capillaries or small blood vessels in the skin area exposed to the high temperature. Blood flow is increased in the area. This causes the red skin rash in the form of a web that we see in Toasted Skin Syndrome or Erythema ab igne.

Other sources of heat such as heaters, open fire, heated blankets and stoves can cause the web-like red skin rashes seen in Erythema ab igne.

In the era before central heating, Toasted Skin Syndrome was seen in elderly people who spent long hours closely in front an open fireplace, or in people using heating pads to reduce pain.

Cooks who spent a lot of time over stoves preparing meals also developed a skin rash face and palms being affected.

Types of Skin Rashes in Erythema Ab Igne

Types of skin rashes in Toasted Skin Syndrome or Erythema ab igne can differ according to the intensity of heat exposure and part of the body where the skin is exposed to the heat.

Some types of skin rashes seen in Erythema ab igne are:

• Reddish web-like skin rash on legs - Initial skin rashes may be reddish and reticulated or shaped like a net or a web. Laptop skin might start out this way. It is a mildly itchy rash.
• Skin rash face discolouration - In this type of skin rash face has patches of red discolouration. Those who work in foundries or are cooks may have skin rash face discolouration due to the close proximity to intense heat, especially from hydrocarbon sources.
• Hyperpigmentation - After repeated exposure to the heat source, the rash may proceed to have a blue or brown pigmentation.
• Bullae - With persistent heat exposure, in advanced cases, the rashes become more severe and blisters filled with fluid known as Bullae can break out.

Treatment for Skin Rash in Toasted Skin Syndrome

The first line of treatment for various types of skin rashes in Toasted Skin Syndrome or Erythema an igne lies in removing the source of heat affecting the skin.

In the case of a heated laptop, it may be a wise idea to place a book or a pillow between your legs and the laptop. That laptop may also be used on top of a table. This will ensure that a heated laptop does not affect your skin. As for laptop usage itself, when you feel that the lap has become too hot, you can shut it down for a period of time to allow its components to cool itself.

Professional workers who report symptoms of Erythema should also remove themselves from the heat source, or wear protective clothing during work.

Mild rash of the skin as in Toasted Skin Syndrome can go away on its own after contact with the heat source is no longer there. It may not need any medication and can completely disappear after a few months.

In advanced cases, where there is hyperpigmentation or bluish and brownish rash, treatment with skin creams such as Tretinoin can help improve the appearance of the rashes. Tretinoin is commonly used for Acne treatment.

Topical Flourocil cream can also help in treatment of Erythema ab igne.

Laser treatment such as Photothermolysis can also help in treating the rashes in advanced cases. Procedures such as Photothermolysis are used for removing tattoos.

Risk Factors for Skin Rash in Toasted Skin Syndrome

If the heat source is not removed soon enough, there is a chance that the rashes associated with Erythema ab igne or Toasted Skin Syndrome can turn into something more serious such as Squamous Cell Carcinoma, which is a common type of skin cancer. Reportedly, such a type of skin cancer was common in the past in societies which used traditional heating methods.

Doctors must monitor their patients for any risks of the Erythema ab igne developing into cancer. However, some experts have called mild rash due to laptop usage as being harmless in nature. People, who have noticed skin rash due to heat exposure during laptop usage or doing other work, must immediately protect their skin from the heat and consult their dermatologist.