Have you ever used a laptop for so long that you got a burn from it? For years, laptop manufacturers have warned users against balancing laptops on bare skin, because laptops get so hot, but they said that using laptops on clothed skin or on flat, heat-safe surfaces was all right, which it is. However, if you use your laptop on your leg too much, you run the risk of getting a heat-based condition called toasted skin syndrome, which can cause permanent discoloration, skin damage, and even cancer.
That’s why I normally use my laptop on a table or desk, or with a cooling pad underneath it. Granted, any permanent damage from laptop use is rare, but it is possible and toasted skin is pretty nasty until it goes away, resulting in sponge-patterned burn marks on the thighs. Most of the time, it goes away on its own, but the rise in laptop use has resulted in a rise of the heat-related condition most commonly associated with using an electric heater.
Here’s a tip: if your laptop is burning your leg, move its position! That’s how you avoid burning yourself on your laptop. If you move the thing every few hours, you avoid cooking yourself through your pants.
Tags: unusual medical conditions, unusual medical problems, laptop computers, laptops, toasted thighs, laptops causing burns, laptops causing toasted thighs, laptops cause permanent skin damage, permanent burning, laptop heat causes skin damage