British doctors have warned against ‘prolonged laptop use’ after a young boy developed an unsightly skin condition caused by heat emitted from the device.
Known as ‘toasted skin syndrome’ because of the fishnet-like pattern it can leave across the body, it can be caused by extended contact between the computer and the skin.
Reporting the case, medics from the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust noted that the child rested a laptop in his abdomen for up to eight hours a day while home schooling.
He would often do this while the device was charging, they added.
Toasted skin syndrome, known medically as erythema ab igne, is caused by consistent exposure to heat that warms the skin but is not hot enough cause the pain or blistering of a burn.
That heat can damage tiny blood vessels and fibres beneath the skin, allowing pigment to build up and leave an unsightly rash. It can also cause the skin to peel.
Historically, the reaction was most commonly seen in older adults who spent hours sitting close to open fires and electric heaters or using hot water bottles.
But medics say it’s on the rise again in youngsters ‘due to the growing use of electronic devices’.
Experts from University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust have issued a fresh warning about ‘toasted skin syndrome’ – medically known as erythema ab igne
Doctors treated a pre-teen boy who developed the reaction after resting his laptop on his stomach for up to eight hours a day while home-schooling
Writing in the journal BMJ Case Reports, doctors said they initially suspected that the patient had a liver injury.
Despite the alarming appearance of the rash, blood tests and scans revealed no signs of concern and the boy was discharged.
Just two weeks later, however, the youngster was back in hospital – and his reaction had worsened.
By this point it had spread more widely across his stomach and was so irritated that patches of his skin had started peeling.
It was after doctors quizzed him more closely about his day-to-day routine that the culprit emerged.
The boy, who was being home-schooled, said he spent hours using a laptop for his lessons.
And, rather than placing it on a desk, he said he would rest the device directly on his stomach for up to eight hours a day.
Doctors realised the exposure to heat was behind the markings and diagnosed him with erythema ab igne.
Experts from the Primary Care Dermatology Society say most mild reactions will gradually fade over several months once the heat exposure has been stopped.
However, more severe skin changes may linger and can become permanent.
They also warn that there is a small long-term risk of skin cancer developing in areas repeatedly affected by the condition.
It is the latest unusual health condition linked to youngsters spending hours glued to electronic devices. Last year, Japanese doctors warned that long smartphone gaming sessions could even contribute to a frightening condition known as ‘dropped head syndrome’
These include squamous cell carcinoma and the much rarer and more aggressive Merkel cell carcinoma. However, such complications can take decades to appear – in some cases 30 years or more after the original heat damage.
Authors of the new study said prolonged heat exposure can also leave permanent darkening of the skin.
They stressed that the boy’s family was ‘reassured’ of the condition’s ‘benign nature’ – meaning his was not harmful.
Medics advised him to stop resting the laptop against his body, as well as avoiding exposing the area to further heat.
Months later, his father told doctors during a follow-up phone consultation that the rash had steadily faded before disappearing altogether.
Medics are now urging Britons to be aware of the condition and to take the necessary steps to avoid damage.
They wrote: ‘This case highlights the importance of considering [the condition] in children presenting with reticulated [net-like] rashes, particularly in the context of increasing electronic device use.
‘Early recognition can prevent misdiagnosis and avoid unnecessary investigations.’
It is the latest unusual health condition linked to youngsters spending hours glued to electronic devices.
Last year, Japanese doctors warned that extended smartphone gaming sessions could even contribute to a frightening condition known as ‘dropped head syndrome’.
Striking images showed a 25-year-old man with a pronounced bulge at the back of his neck, which medics said was linked to his vertebrae becoming ‘extended’.
The experts said his condition had likely been triggered by a combination of the long term effects of holding his neck in an awkward position while playing games on his phone, as well as ‘underlying developmental disorder’.
