Apple watch is causing skin rashes and burn marks

Question

Linus Ekanstam on X claims that after doing everything apple has told them, his wife continues to get rashes from wearing an apple watch. Is it true that regular wearing of apple watches results in rashes?

Answer 1

Apple watches can cause skin rashes. On Apple support, they mention how they use nickel and acrylates in their watches and certain bands. People who are sensitive or allergic to these materials should be aware of this before purchasing. They also mention how wearing your watch too tightly can cause skin irritation, and wearing it too loosely can cause rubbing. They also listed what material is used in their 19 different type of bands and all their watch series. Another simple cause can be not cleaning the band, since it could collect sweat. People should take all these things into consideration when purchasing an Apple Watch. 

Answer 2

Yes, both apple watches and any kind of watch can cause skin irritation. There are many variables to why this maybe happening, like the kind of metal the watch is made of or if there is sweat trapped between your skin and the watch, and even if the watch is too tight or even too loose. 

After reading this article from Very Well Health, it seem that a possible reason for the watch irritation in the X post you provided is that she maybe wearing the watch too tight. With any watch but more specifically watches with sensors, it is very important to make sure that your watch is tight enough to stay in place but to also make sure that there is airflow between your skin and the sensor of the watch, as you will have a higher chance of getting skin irritation if not.

Answer 3

Although uncommon Apple watches could possibly cause irritation. In the initial claim the writer provides photographic evidence of the Apple watches remaining marks/irritation on the skin of his wife. If you look on the Apple website there is an entire subsection under watches where you can find information on wearing the watch. This section detailed that there is possibly a risk to irritation/allergy based on the composition of the watch. The watch and band is composed of nickel and acrylates, and nickel can be a common allergy and irritant. The Apple website also details safe ways to wear it to prevent irritation. After some thorough research I also found others who experienced irritation when it came to wearing their watch. They experienced it from just constant wear, almost 23 hours per day of wear. It is very possible that this users wife has a nickel allergy or could still be wearing the watch too tight despite the help they received from Apple.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/118234

https://www.reddit.com/r/AppleWatch/comments/1br4swp/the_result_of_wearing_an_apple_watch_for_235/

Answer 4

https://x.com/LinusEkenstam/status/1988750346890461554

This claim comes from a x (formerly known as Twitter) post. The author claims their, “wife is getting skin rashes or burn marker from an Apple Watch” then notes the watches model: Apple Watch Series 7 Nike Edition, as well as tagging Apple’s account on the post itself. 

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/woman-claims-apple-watch-caused-arm-reaction/4H27U6FQBFA73CEULDFQKZCDOU/

Upon researching the claim, I could not find a formal, credible source to weigh in on the issue, but many other social media or blog sort of sites provide stories of a similar reaction to the Apple Watch. 

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254255279?sortBy=rank

Further, the Community section of Apple’s website, which offers a chatroom for Apple-related questions, also contains reports of rashes or burns. The responses on this page follow a similar theme to my previous research, suggesting that the issue is rooted in poor hygiene and dermatology. 

Overall, I would say that this claim is exaggerated and misleading, yet brings up a commonly experiences problem. 

Answer 5

1. While it is unclear if the Apple Watch itself is the cause of rashes, there are external factors that can lead to these issues, such as wearing the watch too tightly or having allergies.

2. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255324411?sortBy=rank

My primary source comes directly from the community website under Apple. It allows customers to add questions that other users can answer. In the post I found, a user found that the rashes other customers are experiencing might come from the metal the Apple Watch itself uses, or it might be due to wearing the watch band too tightly. However, these users have stated that they have been wearing an Apple watch for 5+ years in the past with no issue, and only recently they been experiencing these rashes, leading them to believe that it has something to do with the Apple watch sensor.

3.  https://www.verywellhealth.com/apple-wash-rash-8582091

This secondary source I found covers very similar points to those of my primary source. However, they really emphasize that the cause of the rashes is not due to the Apple watch sensor, but due to either allergic reactions to the metals used or to wearing the watch too tightly/lack of cleaning the band. They provide solutions to the rash, such as cleaning the band and moisturizing the skin/over the counter creams to soothe rashes.

4. I think my primary source would have little bias since they are direct comments from community members who have no incentive to add bias, since they really just want solutions to the rashes they are all experiencing. However, my secondary source could definitely have bias since they disregard that it is the Apple watch sensor itself and only really focuses on allergic reactions or bad hygiene.

5. Both my sources support the claim that Apple watches can cause rashes; the original claim is very misleading and doesn't paint the entire picture. It is still unclear whether or not these rashes are directly caused by the sensor itself, since there are so many external factors that the original claim leaves out.

6. None of my evidence necessarily undermines the original claim; it only provides more context that the claim leaves out. However, the essence of the claim is essentially true; it's only phrased misleadingly.

7. When I tried to reach out to the user, I did not receive any responses.

Answer 6

After reading this post and searching for sources to determine whether Apple Watches cause skin rashes, I can conclude that this is indeed true. This is supported by reporting from Apple Discussion and Verywell Health. Verywell Health explained that some Apple Watch users experience skin irritation or rashes due to contact dermatitis caused by trapped moisture, friction, a tight fit, or allergic reactions to materials used in the watch or band. Dermatologists cited in the article note that prolonged wear and sweat buildup can increase the likelihood of irritation. This is also supported by user reports on Apple discussion forums, where multiple individuals describe redness, itching, and irritation appearing directly under the watch. Together, medical reporting and firsthand user experiences provide clear evidence that Apple Watches can cause skin rashes in some people, although not all users are affected.