My wrist is burning after wearing my apple watch 8 ultra

My wife and I both had what appears to be and feels like a burn from the heart rate sensor on the back of our watches. After much search around I found a solution that suggested that the cause is the watch's default setting to frequently record the wearer's heart rate.

This automatic heart rate record can be turned off in the watch Settings app on your iPhone. We did this and the burning stopped!

On your phone, go to the Watch app, then scroll to "Privacy" and find the "Heart Rate" toggle and set it to "Off".

Note: it does not cause the "Heart Rate" app to stop working when you request it, but it does cause the app to stop automatically recording your heart rate every few minutes.

Good luck! We're back to loving our watches.

The community specialist gave the correct response.

Safety information including skin sensitivity recommendations can be found in

Important safety information for Apple Watch – Apple Support (UK)

 I also recommend that you contact Apple Support directly. Depending on your region, you may be able to reach them here 

Click here >  Contact - Official Apple Support  

or phone numbers 

Click here > Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support 

We user volunteers are not qualified to answer medical questions but Apple have a specialist team.

I had been wearing an Apple Watch with a Sport Loop band for several years. I change to the Apple Watch Ultra about 30 days ago. I kept using the Sport Loop bands and have not worn the Apple Watch Ultra with the Alpine Loop band that came with it. I noticed that because the Apple Watch Ultra is heavier than the Apple Watch, I wear the band tighter. As a consequence, the area of skin in contact with the back of the watch stays moist and does what you would expect after a couple hours of this. After noticing irritation and odor on top of my wrist, I have been more mindful about cleaning both my wrist and the back of the watch after I run or exercise. I have two bands and change them often. I wash my bands in the clothes washer. I rinse my band with water after I run and pat it dry. When I noticed the odor and irritation, I wore the watch on my other arm for a day. I do not wear my watch at night. I miss my old Apple Watch because it was so light I could wear it like a bracelet and my skin under the watch was allowed to breathe. Wearing the Apple Watch Ultra is similar to my experiences wearing traditional heavy watches. If I sweat and leave the watch on and tight, my skin stays moist and contact dermatitis occurs where the sensors on the back of watch make contact with my wrist. I don’t think the ceramic case or the band has anything to do with what I experience. I meant to check with my dermatologist about how to care for the skin of my wrist in contact with that watch back and set of sensors.

It’s probably a reaction to the materials in the band.

I’ve had an Apple Watch since the very first one was released. Never had a problem… about 6 months ago, I started having similar issues. Made sure to wash the band thoroughly, etc. No joy. I’ve worn watches my whole life, but virtually all of them have had leather or steel bands. Purchased a leather band for my Apple Watch. Problem solved.

I am not a doctor, and I did not go to a doctor for this. But... you should go to a doctor.

My rash looks very much like the photos here, and it is very similar to a staff infection I got on another part of my body, an athlete's foot fungus. I cleaned the area and my watch back with an alcohol swab. I also applied a steroid medication my doctor gave me for my infection (on another part of my body.) My watch area is already looking and feeling better.

So, go to your doctor and ask if you have a skin infection. The warm moist environment is ripe for an infection, and it is easy to fix by cleaning, keeping the watch loose, and a treatment from your doctor.

Try daily cleaning the watch and your wrist with alcohol. Switch sides and try to keep it loose. As your doctor about an infection .

Again-- this is not good. See a doctor--and it's not good enough to depend on what someone else says a doctor did. A doctor can help the rash and possibly de-sensitize you to the watch. Or see if something else is going on.

See this for some information about sensitivity:

Wearing your Apple Watch - Apple Support

And it may help to talk with someone at Apple:

Apple Watch Service & Repair - Apple Support

There are very few cases of genuine (thermal) burns from Apple Watch. A real burn would need the watch to become hot (like coffee cup hot) and I'm sure you would have noticed and reacted to the heat before it damaged you. Apple Watch is unlikely to become hot enough to burn skin unless there is a huge drain on the battery (you would have noticed because the battery would go flat in minutes rather than hours).

There are other possible causes which seem more likely than heat.

* Sensitivity or allergy to something in the watch body. Nickel sensitivity is the most frequent suspect.

* A chemical burn from some kind of product trapped behind the watch, increasing exposure time before it was removed by rinsing. Possible suspects would include detergent products (human washing, or laundry detergent, etc), cosmetic products, or even pharmaceutical creams which were not intended to have prolonged contact.

Best advice is that you should contact your doctor for a proper diagnosis.

Go see your doctor. That sounds like an allergic reaction. Possibly to the materials in the watch.

This is no allergic reaction. This is a BURN. I wear mine for a heart monitor and it burned my left wrist. It felt like a sunburn. I took my watch off. The next day it blistered. I put SSD cream on the perfect circle that the watch made. 3 days later is still blistered. Might take a while for the burn and blisters to go away. I have to wear it on my right wrist for a hike by the looks of it. I have had rashes but this is a definite BURN.

Some people are allergic to the watch, while others may be allergic to the band. Most people have not problem.

Of course it could be something different than an allergy, so a good plan is to see a doctor.

And it may help to talk with someone at Apple:

Apple Watch Service & Repair - Apple Support

christ3da wrote:

I wear my watch almost 24/7 besides the few times a day i remove it for 15-30 minutes to charge. Please help, I love this watch .

Maybe you could try to wear it only during the day if you have sensitive skin, give it time to rest during the night. I do.

You probably would not wear other jewelry or contact lenses 24 hours a day. Sleep monitoring can be done once a month.

Hi. So I was having the same issue with my Apple Watch ultra where the ceramic back was creating eczema like marks on my wrist. I’ve worn majority of the bands Apple has to offer and I can assure you, for me it was the backing of the Watch creating the burn marks in my experience. I stopped wearing the watch and the marks have subsided.

Call Apple Support, talk to a person.

Click here > Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support 

Or talk to a doctor.