My Apple Watch sensor burns

If you are feeling the watch is hot on your wrist (or generally hot to touch) a genuine heat burn is possible, but relatively unlikely because the watch battery is only small and does not really have enough power to make the watch hot for long enough to cause burning. You would certainly notice if this was happening, because making the watch hot would discharge the battery fairly quickly and you would be complaining about battery life.

It is more likely you have become sensitive to something in the watch or watch band, or possibly some kind if irritant like a soap or detergent trapped under the watch and not easily rinsed away. Take a look at this support document, and if you are unsure then consult your doctors who can look at the relevant arm with their own eyes.

Wearing your Apple Watch - Apple Support

nfshirley wrote:

I have this exact same problem that has only just appeared. …recently I have started to experience these small marks on my wrist underneath where I wear the watch.

That's certainly not overtly presenting as a thermal or radiation burn. That looks more like dermatitis or another skin reaction, but I’m also not a medical provider. Causes of dermatitis and irritations can include a mild allergic reaction, or can involve moisture and any of various skin fauna, or skin irritation due to chafing, or a mixture of these or other causes.

Superficial or partial-thickness burns and particularly those due to contact usually look, well, different from that.

Best approach here is a discussion with a medical provider. They have far more experience and training, and have access to various treatments if and as needed.

If you prefer to not get a medical consult, other options can involve cleaning both the Watch back and the skin, and then drying both throughly, and quite probably removing the Watch until that issue or irritation heals, or switching the Watch to the other wrist while that wrist heals. Check the tension on the band, as well. Both too loose and too tight can be bad.

For what Apple suggests for reducing or avoiding skin irritations, and for cleaning Apple Watch:

How to clean your Apple Watch - Apple Support

tsotso228 wrote:

About what really?? Apple is the one suggesting I have an allergic reaction even after I told them I don’t.

This is not my first Apple Watch. This burn came with the new watch. 10k down the drain.

A medical provider can usually identify an allergic reaction, eczema, dermatitis, or other skin issues, as those are all fairly common reactions.

As part of a discussion with a medical provider, search for dermatitis watch or such, and look at the pictures.

Many of us get these skin reactions, too. Probably most if not all of us, given the right environmental conditions.

Switching arms can help, as will keeping the area clean and dry, and keeping the back of the watch clean and dry.

For more serious reactions—allergies can have a range of symptoms from occasional sneezing or some hives up to life-threatening anaphylaxis—your medical provider may recommend discontinuing use.

Appleburn10 wrote:

It’s not an allergic reaction! There is no need to go to your Dr. It is 100% related to these Apple Watches!!! I don’t know why or what it is but there certainly seems to be a lot of people dealing with it!! APPLE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE!!

Allergic reactions to the materials used with Apple Watch are fairly rare, but are possible.

Other reactions to other substances present (sweat, salts, bacteria, grit, and other such) can be more common.

I’d encourage a discussion with a medical provider for any skin reactions, as various skin reactions including urticaria and dermatitis or other reactions can look similar to the photos and descriptions posted. Rubbing, too, can cause irritation.

Some reactions can be minor and quickly resolve, others more serious. Severe allergic reactions can be fatal.

What has been shown looks less like the usual patterns of a thermal contact burn, but a medical provider will be a better judge of that. Contact your provider. Also contact Apple directly.

Here is what Apple suggests about this topic: Wearing your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Here is one of many case studies: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235224101630024X

TL;DR: Log feedback with or contact Apple, and also check with your medical provider.

Switched from S4 to S9 a month ago and I started getting some skin irritation. No problem with S4 at all. I changed several different positions to wear and tried to find what exact portion of the sensors side causes it. Finally it turned out that my spot injury is right under one of the gaps between the electrical hear sensor plate. I covered it with a small white sticker and the problem is gone since then. My Apple Watch looks functioning as expected. Not sure if this could help others.

setsailuk wrote:

How will that help? Apple doesn’t care/ wont acknowledge the problem. If a doctor were to confirm its the apple watch causing the burn through a fault. Apple will probably just say sorry and offer me a small discount off a new watch. 🤷🏼‍♂️

Contact your medical provider. What has been shown appears consistent with dermatitis and blistering, and not with a thermal burn. (But while I’ve met a whole lot of dermatitis, allergic relations, and burns over the years, I’m not a physician.)

An update on my own situation. I received the 'burns' and they were getting worse. They have now gone for me. I turned off the blood oxygen monitor and moved the position I wear the watch to be closer to my wrist. I'm not sure whether it was both or one of these, but I now have no marks on my wrist. For info, it took several months to go, but during that I never stopped wearing the watch. Your mileage may vary, but thought I would give an update.

If you are in the US and you feel like you have truly eliminated any other cause or effect (meaning you have went to your medical provider and eliminated the issue being due to a sudden allergy or contact dermatitis and that provider has stated {not guessed or said it *might be* or *looks like* a burn from the watch…a dermatologist would be able to definitively say it is a burn and definitively rule out other skin conditions or allergy via various test including a biopsy or skin sample test} then submit a report to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission via safe products.gov. Viewing a lot of the reports already done it appears that a large majority of people did not actually seek any medical diagnosis and self diagnosed what happened which honestly isn’t helpful and makes it much easier to assume various possible reasons for the issue. It’s not helpful because it all would still be a guessing game where people are wanting Apple to assume no other possibility exists solely based on a non-medical professionals self diagnosis of both severity as well as specific cause and outcome. So be very thorough. See a dermatologist or skin specialist for a record of the issue and professional diagnosis. Report the method of use (if you tend to wear your watch for extended times only removing it to charge or short periods….tend to sleep with it in regularly report that). Report any issues you noticed leading up to noticing the skin condition (if you felt the watch getting hot, if you felt tingling, if you continued to wear the watch despite noticing something different even if you thought it wasn’t a huge deal, etc). If you had an incident, stopped wearing the watch while the area healed, wore the watch again and the issue happened again report that (and document everything. Don’t guess or in hindsight think certain things had to happen because others said it did and their skin looks similar to yours). Just be as thorough as possible. And ultimately if you really think something is wrong STOP WEARING THE WATCH! Yes it is frustrating to not be able to continue using it like you want to but it’s reckless to continue to do so while still feeling adamant that the watch is responsible. It becomes complacent and almost like you are willing to continue exposing yourself to risk just so you can enjoy tracking features. It is never smart to intentionally continue subjecting yourself to risk if are convinced that you know that it’s something a manufacturer needs to address.

I haven’t experienced any of this so I can’t relate (and hope things stay that way) but I wouldn’t hesitate to do any of what I suggested.

Check with your medical provider about burns, and about allergies, and about dermatitis and other skin irritations, and also contact Apple Support and discuss this with them.

Stop wearing the watch and consult your doctor.

Stop wearing the watch and see your doctor.

katfromrothwell wrote:

looks like a burn to me. Watch battery is fine and doesn’t drain. Haven’t changed moisturiser or skin routine so the watch is definitely causing irritation

Noted, and more or less what I expected from the battery, and I'm sure you would have noticed something hot enough on your wrist to cause damage. Some kind of sensitivity seems more likely, and you will probably need expert advice from your doctor to help trace the exact source. This will probably be worth doing, because if you are developing a sensitivity or allergic reaction to something you need a proper diagnosis so you can reduce the risks in the future.

MrHoffman wrote:

williamfromnc wrote:

I have had my watch since the middle of October, and I am getting serious Burns from the bottom of the watch itself not the watchband. I believe it has to do with the sensors that monitors your health activities or possibly the battery.

Contact your medical provider, and show them the effected skin, and discuss the potential causes. Potential causes of skin irritation can include dermatitis, allergies, and other issues. Contact Apple Support directly, as well.

I have done both and confirmed it was a burn. But Apple support insisted it was irritation. Where do I go from here if Apple support won't acknowledge it?

I just got a watch , the 3rd day I had it I tightened the band by 1 notch and got burnt ( red marks) on both wrists .

so i loosened it up 1 notch like I had it no more red marks.

but i also noticed the blood oxygen app the red light comes on the back of the watch and no light on the ecg app.

so i don’t take my blood oxygen anymore. I don’t have no breathing problems so no big deal.

no more burn marks.

to the people getting the marks are you using the blood oxygen app??

tylerediva wrote:

It isn’t an allergic reaction though. I’ve had my ultra since it was released and it’s only now burning my skin. If it were an allergic reaction I would’ve been getting burned by it since it bought it. I only started getting burned since the last 3 updates

Allergies can arise at any time. I have a friend who made it all the way through medical school and residency and had no problems with latex gloves. She had an emergency c-section and went into anaphylaxis because of the latex in the operating room equipment.