Apple Watch

Any update on this? I have a small burn at the sensor too. I actually turned off the heart rate monitor in some apps but it seems that I have not done so for the workout app on the watch. So, it has been burning me continuously. This morning, the moment I started the workout app, it began to feel very itchy. I found out I've not turned off the heart rate monitor on the app so I turned it off immediately. I'm wondering if the watch sensor has been tested before. Will it cause skin problems or even skin cancer? I'm in Singapore though. How will this work? The small amount of nickel is also beginning to cause problems. So when I'm working in my office, I will remove the watch. It is past the warranty period and I just got a replacement because the battery was so bloated that the screen popped up.

You asked:

" I found out I've not turned off the heart rate monitor on the app so I turned it off immediately. I'm wondering if the watch sensor has been tested before. Will it cause skin problems or even skin cancer?"

The Apple Watch uses green LEDs and light‑sensitive photodiodes to measure heart rate during an activity. For more info see:

Your heart rate. What it means, and where on Apple Watch you’ll find it. - Apple Support

It seems like your skin is very sensitive to green light and to nickel too. That happens to some people.

"It seems like your skin is very sensitive to green light and to nickel too. That happens to some people."

Yes, I know that much too. 😁 Lol. The issue with nickel didn't come up until after many moons. I do wonder if there was a thin protective layer of polymer that wears out causing my skin to be in direct contact with the stainless steel now. But maybe it is because of other reasons. Coloured LED lights are used to kill bacteria in our labs (experimental stage). So, I guess the green light must be killing some of my live skin cells that are nearer to the surface. But I still don't know how it will harm me in the long run. Also, can I choose to use IR instead of LED? Which one is less nasty? I do hope the safety of these waves, visible or not, will be assessed and made public. Then I can make a choice to purchase the product or not. It is not nice to have the burning sensation on the wrist the whole time. I'm still feeling it now. Apparently, it builds up slowly and now I am constantly aware of it.

I appreciate your sharing this. I had exactly the same reaction after a week of wearing my new apple watch. I did not know what this strange burning sensation was so I changed to the other wrist in case it was isolated to my left. However, when I switched to the right I had the same reaction on the skin. It is thanks to people like you who post issues of this nature that others like me realize that the watch just does not work for everybody. I returned it because I concluded that for some reason my body rejects it. Why force it. We need to be mindful and pay attention to our body's reactions.

Hi

If you experience redness, swelling, itchiness or any other irritation or discomfort on your skin around or beneath your watch, Apple recommends that you remove your watch and consult a doctor / physician before wearing it again.

Skin reactions can be a result of various causes including:

- Allergies (eg to nickel);

- Extended exposure to irritants (eg soap or sweat);

- Environmental factors;

- Wearing the band too tightly or too loosely (eg causing rubbing).

Irritants can make skin reactions more likely if found between the watch and/or band and your skin. Keeping your watch, band and skin clean and dry can maximise comfort and prevent long-term damage to the watch. It is especially important to do this after workouts or exposure to liquids that can cause skin irritation.

Apple also advises that the watch should be removed from your wrist and turned off if it experiences above-normal temperatures or becomes uncomfortably warm (the importance of reading this information is highlighted in the Get Started section of the User Guide). Sustained contact with warm surfaces for long periods of time may cause discomfort or injury. Special care should be taken if you have a physical condition that affects your ability to detect heat against your body.

Keep in mind also that the watch is designed to work best in ambient temperatures between 32° to 95° F (0° and 35° C).

If you are concerned about a potential hardware issue with your watch, contact Apple Support (mail-in service may be available) or make a Genius Bar reservation with a view to having it checked under warranty:

https://www.apple.com/support/watch/contact/

More information:

- https://help.apple.com/watch/#/apdde4d6f98e (User Guide: warning under Set up and pair with iPhone)

- https://help.apple.com/watch/#/apdcf2ff54e9 (User Guide: Important Safety Information > Prolonged heat exposure)

- Keep Apple Watch within acceptable operating temperatures - Apple Support

- Wearing Apple Watch - Apple Support

- Cleaning and wearing Apple Watch - Apple Support