In this undated photo provided by the journal Pediatrics, a 12 year-old boy is pictured using a laptop on balanced on his bare legs. According to recent medical reports, exposing skin to the high temperatures created by laptops can lead to “toasted skin syndrome,” an unusual-looking mottled skin condition caused by long-term heat exposure. (AP Photo/HO via Quincy Hearld-Whig)
NEW YORK (CBS 2/AP) – Have you ever worked on your laptop computer with it sitting on your lap, heating up your legs? If so, you might want to rethink that habit.
Doing it a lot can lead to “toasted skin syndrome,” an unusual-looking mottled skin condition caused by long-term heat exposure, according to medical reports.
In one recent case, a 12-year-old boy developed a sponge-patterned skin discoloration on his left thigh after playing computer games a few hours every day for several months.
“He recognized that the laptop got hot on the left side; however, regardless of that, he did not change its position,” Swiss researchers reported in an article published Monday in the journal Pediatrics.
Another case involved a Virginia law student who sought treatment for the mottled discoloration on her leg.
Dr. Kimberley Salkey, who treated the young woman, was stumped until she learned the student spent about six hours a day working with her computer propped on her lap. The temperature underneath registered 125 degrees.
That case, from 2007, is one of 10 laptop-related cases reported in medical journals in the past six years.
In this undated photo provided by the journal Pediatrics, a 12 year-old boy is pictured with evidence of "toasted skin syndrome" on his left leg caused by exsposure to high temperatures while spending a great deal of time playing video games with a laptop resting on his legs. According to recent medical reports, exposing skin to the high temperatures created by laptops can lead to tss, an unusual-looking mottled skin condition caused by long-term heat exposure. (AP Photo/HO via Pediatrics) NO SALES
The condition also can be caused by overuse of heating pads and other heat sources that usually aren’t hot enough to cause burns. It’s generally harmless but can cause permanent skin darkening. In very rare cases, it can cause damage leading to skin cancers, said the Swiss researchers, Drs. Andreas Arnold and Peter Itin from University Hospital Basel. They do not cite any skin cancer cases linked to laptop use, but suggest, to be safe, placing a carrying case or other heat shield under the laptop if you have to hold it in your lap.
Salkey, an assistant dermatology professor at Eastern Virginia Medical School, said that under the microscope, the affected skin resembles skin damaged by long-term sun exposure.
Major manufacturers including Apple, Hewlett Packard and Dell warn in user manuals against placing laptops on laps or exposed skin for extended periods of time because of the risk for burns.
A medical report several years ago found that men who used laptops on their laps had elevated scrotum temperatures. If prolonged, that kind of heat can decrease sperm production, which can potentially lead to infertility. Whether laptop use itself can cause that kind of harm hasn’t been confirmed.
In the past, “toasted skin syndrome” has occurred in workers whose jobs require being close to a heat source, including bakers and glass blowers, and, before central heating, in people who huddled near potbellied stoves to stay warm.
Dr. Anthony J. Mancini, dermatology chief at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, said he’d treated a boy who developed the condition from using a heating pad “hours at a time” to soothe a thigh injured in soccer. Mancini said he’d also seen a case caused by a hot water bottle.
He noted that chronic, prolonged skin inflammation can potentially increase chances for squamous cell skin cancer, which is more aggressive than the most common skin cancer. But Mancini said it’s unlikely computer use would lead to cancer since it’s so easy to avoid prolonged close skin contact with laptops.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
134 Comments
My previous comment was directed to “Steve” by the way!
October 4, 2010 at 8:40 pm
Happened to me. Fell asleep. -dock
Got a major dime-sized blister in the worst male place possible.
Wish I was kidding Had to put it in drydock for a week until it healed.
October 4, 2010 at 8:33 pm
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Funny! Several years ago (and you heard this here first) I wrote an unnamed vendor about their “laptop” which I affectionately dubbed a “nut roaster”. That got their attention, and me a phone call in response from a VP who admitted that they no longer market them them as “laptops” for obvious reasons.
October 4, 2010 at 8:10 pm
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Notice its the left leg…must be the left side of his brain that is lacking common sense. Seems to be a trend.
October 4, 2010 at 6:59 pm
You do know the left side governs the right and the right side governs the left right? ….
October 6, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Wife and I have chill pads under our laptops, so my issues is my nuts tend to suffer from the cold draught!
October 4, 2010 at 5:51 pm
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This just shows that you can’t protect stupid people from themselves.
October 4, 2010 at 5:04 pm
But the progressive nazis will try anyway.
October 5, 2010 at 12:41 am
The real issue in this story is the fact that this kids leg muscles are non existant. Put the computer down and play OUTSIDE!!!
October 4, 2010 at 4:59 pm
I eat off of a TV tray allot and as I was working on my laptop I thought why can I put a double tier TV tray. So I made one so when dinner comes I just flip over the hinged top and after I eat I flip it off.
October 4, 2010 at 4:45 pm
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I have a slight case of this from using my laptop. I have patches of darker skin, I hope they go away but it looks like they might be permanent which stinks. With me, the issue is that the laptop is hot but it never gets to the point of real pain when it’s in your lap so you move it or put something under it. I guess it’s simmering your skin.
October 4, 2010 at 4:20 pm
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I require a pill to address this new syndrome that will grow tougher skin on my the front of my legs – and I require a government warning on all laptops – Sibleiious will get right on this new threat to Americans. And soon Napolitano will ban laptops from airplanes – heck, if they get so hot to cause a burnt leg syndrome, what can they do to the cabin of an airplane.
October 4, 2010 at 3:51 pm
I love reading everyone’s comments so entertaining.
I use my laptop while watching TV if its gets hot I have one of those
cooling things under my laptop.
October 4, 2010 at 3:32 pm
Gwammy…
Shhh!! stop blabbing! ..or they’ll be ON TO US for sure!
BTW – we meet a the usual spot tonight for more supergluing laptops to folks legs while they’re not paying enough attention, but when? …and what’s the new secret password for the meeting?
October 4, 2010 at 3:23 pm
Hot and laptop. It’s painfully obvious. It’s AlGore’s Fault. He invented the internet, and global warming.
October 4, 2010 at 3:20 pm
Definitely those nasty Bible-carrying, gun-toting, family-loving idiots doing their dirties again!!
October 4, 2010 at 3:10 pm
…or you could spend a few bucks and buy a cooling pad for your laptop.
October 4, 2010 at 2:42 pm
Imagine that. Laptops are not safe to keep in your lap. I’d be surprised if there aren’t a slew of greedy people suing now.
October 4, 2010 at 2:40 pm
I wonder how long it will take them to put warning tags on laptops that this machine could be dangerous to your health; like the ones on hair dryers that tell you not to use the hairdryer in the shower?
October 4, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Someone angeling for a big fat research grant to link all this to “Global Warming”. OR, perhaps left wing whackjobs have concluded too many of us are getting the “other side of the story” on Drudge and want to take our laptops away.
October 4, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Use a MAC and your legs won’t get hot. MacBook Pro never gets hot. Hell, it never even gets warm.
October 4, 2010 at 1:58 pm
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I smell another idiot lawsuit brewing.
October 4, 2010 at 12:39 pm
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Laptops make for “heated scrotums”?
Wow! Think of the money saved from lap dances !!
October 4, 2010 at 12:35 pm
True story! I swear !!! Last night in Winter Garden Florida….a man was found sitting on his couch…dead…with his laptop in his lap ! Wonder what he was watching?
October 4, 2010 at 12:28 pm
Surely it comes down to common sense. I wear skirts with bare legs most of the time. If I’m using my laptop I can FEEL when its getting too hot & I’ll move it or put something under it. Does it really take a report by experts to tell us that?
October 4, 2010 at 12:11 pm
Leave it on your face and start to look like an arab HA HA HA
October 4, 2010 at 11:49 am
it’s al gore’s fault he invented the internet
October 4, 2010 at 11:41 am
Like we needed more news telling us that PEOPLE ARE STUPID
If it gets hot to the point of being uncomfortable, probably not a good idea to keep the laptop directly ON your lap.
October 4, 2010 at 11:39 am
Bush – again.
October 4, 2010 at 11:36 am
It’s obvious, it’s George Bush’s fault.
October 4, 2010 at 11:35 am
Thanks for all the insane comments today….I needed a laugh. Hot enough to leave noticeable marks and they continued to disregard the warning…..must be Democrats!
October 4, 2010 at 11:34 am
["That case, from 2007, is one of 10 laptop-related cases reported in medical journals in the past six years."]
10 cases in 6 years, OMG it’s an epidemic!!!
October 4, 2010 at 11:20 am
Sorry to say this but this is all Obama’s fault.
October 4, 2010 at 11:20 am
Now that Bush derangement syndrome must wane as he’s been out of office for 2 years… EVERYTHING is officially Obama’s fault.
The difference is, this time – if you’re talking about the US Economy – it’ll be true!
October 4, 2010 at 11:44 am
George Bush again. He keeps doing it to us, oh, Herbert Hoover as well!
October 4, 2010 at 11:13 am
Steve, Get a clue you wacko.
October 4, 2010 at 11:10 am
but it feels so warm and cozy,you just want to take it to bed………..
October 4, 2010 at 11:07 am
seems to me that the syndrome is mis-labeled. Should be called stupid-dummy syndrome. By the looks of things, Steve (comment at 10:53am ) also has its symptoms with his stupid-dummy comment.
October 4, 2010 at 11:06 am
Steve you are mental – right leaning radicals? Take down the obama admin?
The article is about informing people about laptops getting hot enough to burn you.
October 4, 2010 at 11:02 am
Obammo et al are taking themselves down.
October 4, 2010 at 2:27 pm
we need a law
or an executive order.
or some common sense.
or something.
October 4, 2010 at 11:01 am
LOL!
Yeah, when I read the headline I thought, “interesting”.
When I read the article I thought, “Oh, so there’s actually nothing to worry about then”.
But I bet there’s some bed-wetter out there already drafting a law …
October 4, 2010 at 12:33 pm
a law? for what? telling us we can’t use our laptops on our laps? Geez, you need to get a life, LOL
October 4, 2010 at 4:18 pm
Jensational he is right. First a law requiring laptops to bear warning labels and then when that doesn’t work they can require manufacturers to put cooling units on the bottom and of course there will be the new laptop tax to defray costs of cosmetic surgery for people that can’t afford it after they got burns from the laptop for every student program.. Your next netbook might cost 1000 bucks.
October 5, 2010 at 12:51 am
actually BASAL CELL carcinoma is the most common skin cancer
October 4, 2010 at 10:59 am
That’s what they said… Squamous is MORE AGRESSIVE THAN the most common skin cancer. You need to read more slowly!
October 4, 2010 at 11:40 am
Or, in other words..
Hot things like laptops or scaling coffee etc. on your skin.. can burn you.
(thanks CBS)
October 4, 2010 at 10:56 am
They have to make something to take over the internet!
WHO USES A LAPTOP IN THEYRE LAP?NO BODY!!!
October 4, 2010 at 12:25 pm
One word. Ipad
October 4, 2010 at 1:16 pm
This is definitely a made-up syndrome created by right-leaning radicals trying to take down the Obama administration. What’s next, righties, Melted Ear Disorder caused by cell phones?
October 4, 2010 at 10:53 am
Steve please put down what ever you are smoking , thats nuts!
October 4, 2010 at 11:32 am
As someone whose 39 year old son recently had a brain tumor removed which the doctor said was likely caused by cell phone usage over the years, I would say it might be possible that this could cause some problems which are yet undetermined.
October 4, 2010 at 11:33 am
If Obama’s birth was NOT a “live” one, it would explain a lot!
October 4, 2010 at 12:00 pm
Steve, Your an idiot. How does this even remotely relate to Obama administration. Its not the Obama or Bush administration that put is in our current situation its morons like you, who cant see past political parties.
October 4, 2010 at 2:34 pm
Seriously? Come on. Skin is just like any other material in that if you do something to it long enough, it will have a permanent side effect. Albeit, skin is regenerative, but only to a point. This isn’t really that crazy an idea, and it’s strange that you could even find any form of logic that would lead you to “right-leaning radicals” or how this could at all affect a political administration.
October 4, 2010 at 4:02 pm
you’re joking right? especially when most media outlets are predominantely left leaning liberals? But seriously, this is what you get from this story?? How about be careful or you’ll wind up to different colored legs?!?
October 4, 2010 at 4:17 pm
No, it’s created by left-leaning trial lawyers ready to take down EVERY computer company in the USA, to be able to take 33% of the booty in fees, and at the same time destroy the remaining companies that Obama has not been able to cripple yet, the companies that are succeeding despite his administration’s every effort, and to leave the rest of the world’s companies unscathed, so they can eat us alive. Almost every other country in the world retains their intelligence and would never let their own lawyers to destroy their global competitiveness. Buy precious metals, thanks to Obama, our economy is finished, it’s over, you’ll see. Obama and Pelosi succeeded in what they set out to do. If you doubt it, print this message, stick it to your corkboard, and read it again in only 6-12 months! We’re toast, and they do it to us because idiots still defend them while they steal our lollipops directly from our mouths!
October 4, 2010 at 4:23 pm
Lawyers don’t impress me much.
October 5, 2010 at 3:14 am
I love you Mister Biscuit! Online high five!
October 6, 2010 at 2:52 am
shutup
October 4, 2010 at 4:44 pm
Nice response Joel. We won’t shut up. You need to put your fingers in your ears and sing lalala I can’t hear you.
October 5, 2010 at 12:44 am
To just-whine-about-everything-”steve”: last checked, CBS is about a left winged as one can get. Even Kennedy is not left leaning enough for CBS.
This article is more about whiny lefties whining about new “ailments” that SomeBody should do something about.
October 4, 2010 at 5:24 pm
eh? Steve, I sincerely hope you’re saying this tongue in cheek! Does everything have to be tied to politics? Yeesch!
October 4, 2010 at 5:43 pm
no its not invented, I really had that!
October 4, 2010 at 6:15 pm
I’d like to respond to you but I don’t know how to speak MORON.
October 4, 2010 at 6:15 pm
95% of the nation recognizes just how stupid your non-argument is. The other five percent is just as dumb as you are.
October 4, 2010 at 6:46 pm
Steve talks on the phone to aliens to often
October 4, 2010 at 7:07 pm
Steve, is uh, uh,uh usually the beginning of most of your sentences and answers.
October 4, 2010 at 7:11 pm
Toasted Skin Syndrome is a vast right-wing conspiracy to bring down His Highness Obama? Gufffaaawwwww!! – that’s good! You frightened little weasels get more creative all the time! Keep it up, PLEASE!! Just can’t make this stuff up…
October 4, 2010 at 7:38 pm
You could not be any more unintelligent lol. Paranoid much?
October 4, 2010 at 8:39 pm
Steve, do you always feel like somebody’s watching you?
Pariniod much? Hahahahaha !!!!!!!
October 4, 2010 at 11:02 pm
My my my, hateful little boy aren’t we Steve? Does your mommy know you’re using her computer?
October 5, 2010 at 12:10 am
Really? Please point out where this report makes political comments about obama. As I am in college, its nice to know what might happen if I continue working with my laptop on my thighs. Please, take your political comments to a political forum, or just stay quiet.
October 5, 2010 at 2:23 am
Stay on your medication. For you and for all of us.
October 5, 2010 at 2:36 am
How about a witch doctor’s signature?
October 5, 2010 at 3:10 am
It’s definitely not made up because I have the same exact thing going on with me. Why would someone make that up? Side note: I’m liberal and a proud Obama supporter. I hope you were just making a funny.
October 5, 2010 at 5:43 am
Steve, you just made liberals sound even dumber than conservatives. Why would you do that?
October 5, 2010 at 11:47 am
Right-leaning radicals? That sounds like something the weirdo left thinks up like global warming, or its okay to be gay. Its also a entitlement ridden thought up by the leftist to sit playing videos games hour after hour instead of working on something to better your life. Just your simple comment that this has something to do with Obama proves how stupid you really are.
Please pull your head out of the sand.
October 5, 2010 at 12:12 pm
boy a little paranoid?
October 5, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Anyone working in the computer sales industry or even as a consumer of such products would have noticed how laptops are no longer called ‘laptops’ and now known as notebooks. Makes you wonder whether a round table society got together and agreed to change the naming once enough users had their reproductive organs deep fried.
It is concerning that people spend years denying the side effects of using such hot devices and have to wait for the scientists to issue a press release.
I use an external USB keyboard and mouse (fully corded not wireless!) as this should minimise contact with the hot surface of the laptop. Hopefully I am better shielded from the radiation too.
October 7, 2010 at 12:11 pm
No Steve, Melted Brain Disorder suffered by you and millions of clapping seals in US Corp. Int. Glob caused by Obamara SinDrone
October 8, 2010 at 9:44 pm