Apple Watch Ultra burned my skin.

[ftaok]

I tried to read through quite a bit of responses on here and only those that have explained the “burn” feeling such as myself, aren’t kidding.

As a random bit of scientific, “process of elimination”… those that have had the feeling of some sort of burn, what color is your hair and how fair complected are you?

I have worn an Apple Watch since the Series 2 (every series owned has been aluminum) and have never experienced this feeling beneath the wrist. Now, before someone says, “Maybe you’re allergic to titanium!?” The answer is no. I have zero allergies to most known elements (except maybe plutonium :insert nerdy radioactive joke here

I personally feel as though this is a “flash burn” (a burn caused by intense light) or basically a concentrated sunburn by the beams that monitor your BP, Heart rate, etc.

Not sure about the frequency and strength of pulses in the pervious series in comparison to the much newer models with updated firmwares and possibly stronger lights, but this is what my wrist looks like currently. Please keep in mind, I CONSTANTLY wear my Apple Watch Ultra (Ultra Orange Alpine Band) since purchased, only take it off to top off the charge and to charge it while I shower (this negates the possibility of irritants between the skin and the ceramic and sapphire crystal back) I also make sure that my wrist is completely dry before putting the Watch back on.

Additionally, I know many have mentioned hand wash being the culprit and I can also remove this from the possible causes as I never get the watch wet when washing my hands (When I wash my hands, I don’t make it a habit of washing my wrists also; I’m not a surgeon 🤦‍♂️)

I’m a new member so I’ll do my best to keep up-to-date on this particular thread as I am very curious as to why this is happening.

I have turned off all the monitoring sensors (12/27/2022 @ 10:45pm) to see if this helps, but I will continue to wear the watch as I normally do to rule certain possible irritants out.

Yikes! that's pretty bad.

Looking at the pictures, it looks like you wear the watch on your left wrist in the standard fashion. There seems to be a "knubby" irritated spot on your wrist where the digital crown sits. There's no lights/sensors emanating from that spot of the watch, yet the irritation looks to be just as intense at that spot.

Turning off the sensors is a great way to eliminate a variable, so by all means, try that out.

I would suggest wearing the watch on your right hand with the sensors on for a while, just to rule anything out.

As for the hand washing, everyone washes their hands differently. I too thought that there's no way it was related because I'm not in the habit of washing all the way up to my wrists. But lo and behold, suds do get a around and that's what it was for my issues. I'm much more careful to not get any suds under my watch and if I do, I simply rinse underneath and suffer a wet watchband for a little bit. Not a big deal considering the alternative is a really annoying rash.

Good luck. If you can, keep us all posted on your learnings.

 

[seadragon]

If the watch was actually burning skin, everyone would have it. A burn is a burn. Personally, mine has been fine. Must be something unique to these individuals. Best consult an actual doctor.

 

[earthdog]

If the watch was actually burning skin, everyone would have it. A burn is a burn. Personally, mine has been fine. Must be something unique to these individuals. Best consult an actual doctor.

Is it a burn no. It more likely a skin allergy to a change in plastic, metal or chemical coating. The only other difference for me is this is the first titanium model I have ever owned. Until now my AW 0,1,2,3,4,5,6 and 7 were all Stainless. But if that were the issue the irritation would not appear to be focused where the sensor is located.

 

[960design]

It’s how apple marks its subjects

It's where the nanobots went in. nothing to worry about.

 

[leebroath]

So glad I returned my Ultra which also burned my skin

I now rock the Series 8 Graphite and it’s great

 

[BlackBun]

Similar to me. I just found it before it got too bad.
Definitely not an allergic reaction. It is a burn, quite sure.
View attachment 2103017 View attachment 2103018 View attachment 2103019

I have the exact same thing with Watch 7 and now 8.

 

[Nhwhazup]

Is it a burn no. It more likely a skin allergy to a change in plastic, metal or chemical coating. The only other difference for me is this is the first titanium model I have ever owned. Until now my AW 0,1,2,3,4,5,6 and 7 were all Stainless. But if that were the issue the irritation would not appear to be focused where the sensor is located.

My daughter only experienced the sensation and burning when the watch was turned on. I told to wear it one day with it off to see if she had a physical irritation. No issue with the watch turned off.

 

[MikeHugz]

I got the new Apple Watch Ultra on 10/4/22. It was definitely a great upgrade from my watch 6 specially the longer battery. This past Tuesday 10/11/22, I had a tingling sensation and when I took the watch off noticed a burned area on my skin. This happened on the skin that touches the inside glass where the sensors light are. I spent 2 days on the phone with Apple. Got transferred to safety department and waited 24 hours for their response... they came back saying it was a rash from the wristband and that I needed to clean the watch.

I had been wearing Apple watches since the first one and never had an experience similar to this. It has been very disappointing the way Apple handled this problem.

I also got a burn like that on the top part of my wrist, where the sensor crystal touches the skin. However, it only happened while I was sleeping.

A good friend of mine, who works at Apple, told me to “TURN OFF” the wrist temperature sensor, because there is a high possibility of a data-processing flaw that causes the sensor to stay on for long periods of time, which could result in the topic at hand.

After doing this, I haven’t had any problems with burns or rashes or anything else. I’m not sure if this would work for everyone, but it did for me.

—————
On your iPhone, go to the Apple Watch app, tap privacy, and then turn off the wrist temperature sensor.

 

[Lee_Bo]

I also got a burn like that on the top part of my wrist, where the sensor crystal touches the skin. However, it only happened while I was sleeping.

A good friend of mine, who works at Apple, told me to “TURN OFF” the wrist temperature sensor, because there is a high possibility of a data-processing flaw that causes the sensor to stay on for long periods of time, which could result in the topic at hand.

After doing this, I haven’t had any problems with burns or rashes or anything else. I’m not sure if this would work for everyone, but it did for me.

—————
On your iPhone, go to the Apple Watch app, tap privacy, and then turn off the wrist temperature sensor.

Can you imagine what’s going to happen to the area of the skin under the watch if Apple ever gets the watch to measure blood glucose levels?

 

[earthdog]

I also got a burn like that on the top part of my wrist, where the sensor crystal touches the skin. However, it only happened while I was sleeping.

A good friend of mine, who works at Apple, told me to “TURN OFF” the wrist temperature sensor, because there is a high possibility of a data-processing flaw that causes the sensor to stay on for long periods of time, which could result in the topic at hand.

After doing this, I haven’t had any problems with burns or rashes or anything else. I’m not sure if this would work for everyone, but it did for me.

—————
On your iPhone, go to the Apple Watch app, tap privacy, and then turn off the wrist temperature sensor.

Now this has promise. I didn’t think about this as a new sensor. Turned off and will report back in few days to report if I see an improvement.

 

[Wackery]

It's where the nanobots went in. nothing to worry about.

And then you can buy the Apple™ Skin Graft

 

[Jackbequickly]

People keep using the word “burn” when it is only a skin irritation. 😡

 

[JT2002TJ]

People keep using the word “burn” when it is only a skin irritation. 😡

Just an FYI. Many people keep trying to say these aren't burns. But, according to the Mayo Clinic it can be a "burn" by definition, especially if it is coming from these sensors that use a form of radiation (light). They also could be considered chemical burns.

Burns are tissue damage that results from heat, overexposure to the sun or other radiation, or chemical or electrical contact. Burns can be minor medical problems or life-threatening emergencies.

Image of a radiation burn from the same link, credit Mayo Clinic:

Source:

Burns - Symptoms and causes

www.mayoclinic.org

 

[russell_314]

I get mild skin irritation and rash occasionally. Maybe due to the soap in a public restroom, maybe sweat irritating my skin IDK. it doesn’t happen often and usually taking the watch off for a few hours fixes it. One time I had to take it off for two days.

It’s not the watch because obviously glass isn’t going to damage your skin. It’s due to the glass is containing whatever irritant against your skin.

 

[russell_314]

according to the Mayo Clinic it can be a "burn" by definition, especially if it is coming from these sensors that use a form of radiation (light).

No way. There’s not enough power in those sensors to burn skin. That would be horrible and would be burning millions of people if that was the case.

Technically it could be a burn if it was caused by some type of chemical trapped against the skin by the watch.

 

[JT2002TJ]

No way. There’s not enough power in those sensors to burn skin. That would be horrible and would be burning millions of people if that was the case.

Technically it could be a burn if it was caused by some type of chemical trapped against the skin by the watch.

One person's skin can be more sensitive than others to radiation (light). Just like, some people get sun burned in minutes of outdoor activity, while others, me included, takes days to get a burn.

It can be a burn; I'm not saying it is for everyone. But simply stating these aren't burns, is incorrect, at least according to the Mayo Clinic.

 

[BenGoren]

One person's skin can be more sensitive than others to radiation (light). Just like, some people get sun burned in minutes of outdoor activity, while others, me included, takes days to get a burn.

It can be a burn; I'm not saying it is for everyone. But simply stating these aren't burns, is incorrect, at least according to the Mayo Clinic.

First, this is most emphatically NOT a radiation burn. There is zero ionizing radiation coming from the watch. You need to get at least to the far ultraviolet part of the visible spectrum for ionizing radiation, which simply isn’t happening.

Second, this is also most emphatically NOT a thermal burn. You’d need several minutes at 50°C / 122°F to cause a second-degree burn, and you wouldn’t be able to keep your hands in the sink that long if the water was that hot. There would be zero doubt in your mind that the watch was actually hot.

Also note that that’s past the temperature at which the watch will go into thermal shutdown mode. Further consider that your wrist naturally acts as an heatsink; even outdoors in full sun in Arizona with ambient temperatures of 50°C, your watch won’t reach that temperature. (It would if you took it off your wrist and left it in the sun.)

As so many of us have been repeating, including people who have identified as actual practicing board-licensed dermatologists, this is textbook contact dermatitis.

And, while it’s possible that this could be caused by an allergic reaction to the materials of the watch, those particular allergies are vanishingly rare in the general population. It’s all but certain that nobody who has posted in this thread is allergic to the watch.

Imagine if you never washed your underwear. In addition to being gross, you wouldn’t at all be surprised if you developed all sorts of nasty rashes, right? Would you then be complaining about how your underwear burned your privates?

That’s what’s happening here. All these people complaining about the watch burning them are neglecting to keep their watches clean.

Clean your gosh-darned watches, people!

It’s that simple.

At a bare minimum that’s probably inadequate, you should be cleaning your watch weekly, even if you’re a desk jockey. If you notice even the slightest hint of itchiness, that’s your flashing emergency warning siren that you’ve waited too long and that you’re about to break out in a rash.

And, if you’ve got a rash (or even just a bit of itchiness), be sure to apply a thinnest-possible schmear of over-the-counter first-aid antibiotic ointment (such as Neosporin) on your wrist before putting your (clean!) watch back on.

If keeping your watch clean doesn’t solve your problem, “see your doctor.” Your general-practice family physician (or nurse practitioner) is perfectly qualified for this sort of thing, and is more than capable of giving you a referral to a dermatologist if you actually do have something weird.

Which you don’t, unless you count wearing a dirty bacteria-laden watch as weird.

b&

 

[JT2002TJ]

Visible light (from the sensors) is a form of radiation.

If you want to argue that it isn't enough to burn skin or not, that's fine. But if the sensors are causing a "skin irritation" according to the Mayo Clinic definition it can be called a burn.

If you look at some the pictures that people are posting (and I saw on my wife's skin) it is not an "irritation" it can be WAY past that.

 

[Nhwhazup]

First, this is most emphatically NOT a radiation burn. There is zero ionizing radiation coming from the watch. You need to get at least to the far ultraviolet part of the visible spectrum for ionizing radiation, which simply isn’t happening.

Second, this is also most emphatically NOT a thermal burn. You’d need several minutes at 50°C / 122°F to cause a second-degree burn, and you wouldn’t be able to keep your hands in the sink that long if the water was that hot. There would be zero doubt in your mind that the watch was actually hot.

Also note that that’s past the temperature at which the watch will go into thermal shutdown mode. Further consider that your wrist naturally acts as an heatsink; even outdoors in full sun in Arizona with ambient temperatures of 50°C, your watch won’t reach that temperature. (It would if you took it off your wrist and left it in the sun.)

As so many of us have been repeating, including people who have identified as actual practicing board-licensed dermatologists, this is textbook contact dermatitis.

And, while it’s possible that this could be caused by an allergic reaction to the materials of the watch, those particular allergies are vanishingly rare in the general population. It’s all but certain that nobody who has posted in this thread is allergic to the watch.

Imagine if you never washed your underwear. In addition to being gross, you wouldn’t at all be surprised if you developed all sorts of nasty rashes, right? Would you then be complaining about how your underwear burned your privates?

That’s what’s happening here. All these people complaining about the watch burning them are neglecting to keep their watches clean.

Clean your gosh-darned watches, people!

It’s that simple.

At a bare minimum that’s probably inadequate, you should be cleaning your watch weekly, even if you’re a desk jockey. If you notice even the slightest hint of itchiness, that’s your flashing emergency warning siren that you’ve waited too long and that you’re about to break out in a rash.

And, if you’ve got a rash (or even just a bit of itchiness), be sure to apply a thinnest-possible schmear of over-the-counter first-aid antibiotic ointment (such as Neosporin) on your wrist before putting your (clean!) watch back on.

If keeping your watch clean doesn’t solve your problem, “see your doctor.” Your general-practice family physician (or nurse practitioner) is perfectly qualified for this sort of thing, and is more than capable of giving you a referral to a dermatologist if you actually do have something weird.

Which you don’t, unless you count wearing a dirty bacteria-laden watch as weird.

b&

If it is contact dermatitis how can you account for not having any issue wearing the watch with it turned off but only when it being turned on? My daughter had the redness on her skin under the dome of the Watch. She felt tingling and burning when the watch was turned on. She noticed this with a brand new watch. She asked me to wear it for a day to see if it bugged me as well. I had no issue with it. I told her to try wearing it for a day or so but turned off just as an experiment. She had no issues. But when she turned it back on, the same thing happened. As much as she wanted to keep the AW, she returned it within the 14 day return window.

 

[Jackbequickly]

If it is contact dermatitis how can you account for not having any issue wearing the watch with it turned off but only when it being turned on? My daughter had the redness on her skin under the dome of the Watch. She felt tingling and burning when the watch was turned on. She noticed this with a brand new watch. She asked me to wear it for a day to see if it bugged me as well. I had no issue with it. I told her to try wearing it for a day or so but turned off just as an experiment. She had no issues. But when she turned it back on, the same thing happened. As much as she wanted to keep the AW, she returned it within the 14 day return window.

One person is not enough data to settle anything except maybe within your family. I am not buying it.

 

[Cotypubby]

If it is contact dermatitis how can you account for not having any issue wearing the watch with it turned off but only when it being turned on? My daughter had the redness on her skin under the dome of the Watch. She felt tingling and burning when the watch was turned on. She noticed this with a brand new watch. She asked me to wear it for a day to see if it bugged me as well. I had no issue with it. I told her to try wearing it for a day or so but turned off just as an experiment. She had no issues. But when she turned it back on, the same thing happened. As much as she wanted to keep the AW, she returned it within the 14 day return window.

Psychosomatic. You can make yourself feel sick just by thinking you are sick.

 

[seadragon]

I don't have any answers but this isn't necessarily new to the Ultra. It's possible this is some type of reaction to a material used in the watch such as nickel. Nickel allergies can cause such reddening of the skin which look like a burn. Also, allergies can cause reactions of various degrees based on the exact material and environment.

Have a look at this thread over at Apple Community predating the Ultra:

Watch sensor burns - Apple Community

discussions.apple.com

Also, Apple mentions this in their user guide at https://support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/watch/apdcf2ff54e9/watchos

Skin sensitivities Some people may experience reactions to certain materials used in jewelry, watches, and other wearable items that are in prolonged contact with their skin. This can be due to allergies, environmental factors, extended exposure to irritants like soap, sweat, or other causes. You may be more likely to experience irritation from any wearable device if you have allergies or other sensitivities. If you have known skin sensitivities, please take special care when wearing Apple Watch. You may be more likely to experience irritation from Apple Watch if you wear it too tightly. Remove Apple Watch periodically to allow your skin to breathe. Keeping Apple Watch and the band clean and dry will reduce the possibility of skin irritation. If you experience redness, swelling, itchiness, or any other irritation or discomfort on your skin around, or beneath, your Apple Watch, please remove Apple Watch and consult your physician before resuming wear. Continued use, even after symptoms subside, may result in renewed or increased irritation.

Apple Watch models with a stainless steel or aluminum case, the stainless steel portions of some Apple Watch bands, the metallic portions of Hermès bands, and the magnets in the watch and bands contain some nickel. Nickel exposure from these materials is unlikely, but customers with known nickel allergies should be attentive when wearing them until they can determine they are not experiencing an allergic reaction.

The Apple Watch case and the Apple Watch bands contain trace amounts of acrylates and methacrylates. Acrylates and methacrylates are found in many consumer products that come in contact with the skin, such as adhesive bandages. Some people may be sensitive to them, or may develop sensitivities over time. Apple Watch and its bands are designed so that parts containing acrylates and methacrylates are not in direct contact with your skin.

The materials used in Apple Watch and the Apple Watch bands meet the standards set for jewelry by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, applicable European regulations, and other international standards.

 

[BenGoren]

But if the sensors are causing a "skin irritation"

They (the sensors) aren’t. Period, full stop, with exclamation point! Claims to the contrary are as credible as claims of the Sun rising in the west or apples falling from the ground to the tree.

NOTE: the skin irritation is very real! But it’s not caused by the sensors. This we know with as much certainty as we know that water is wet (unless frozen, etc.); that grass is green (or blue-green in Kentucky, etc.); and that the sky is blue (unless cloudy, etc.).

We know this first because it’s physically impossible for the sensors to do this; second because the reports are completely inconsistent with the only remotely imaginable ways that you could engineer them to do something that vaguely resembles observations; and because we know exactly what’s causing the lesions.

It’s contact dermatitis, in almost all cases from poor hygiene, and by an allergic reaction in all remaining cases.

If it is contact dermatitis how can you account for not having any issue wearing the watch with it turned off but only when it being turned on?

Because the injury isn’t happening immediately.

Touch a stove and you’re burned instantly. Put your hands under 50°C / 122°F water, and you’ll develop burns within minutes. But you can soak forever in 45°C / 113°F water and never get burned. (You might get hyperthermia if you stay in a tub that warm for too long, but you won’t burn.)

Contact dermatitis takes time to develop, and because of the time it takes, it can lead you to make incorrect cause-and-effect conclusions. For example, wear the watch for a few days and the rash develops. Take it off and it heals. Put it back on and you’re fine for a few days again. And if you waited until the third day to turn the sensors back on? You might conclude that the sensors very quickly caused the “burn” — but the rash was going to develop at that time anyway whether the sensors were on or off.

I don't have any answers but this isn't necessarily new to the Ultra. It's possible this is some type of reaction to a material used in the watch such as nickel.

This is possible, but very, very, very unlikely.

If it’s an allergy as opposed to poor hygiene, then it’s much more likely that the allergen is, for example, a particular ingredient in a certain hand soap (to pick one of a great many possibilities). You normally rinse off all the hand soap immediately, and who doesn’t get a bit of redness and tenderness about the hands from time to time for all sorts of reasons? But suppose you splash a bit of soapy water high enough on your wrist that some soap remains under the watch. Now it’s staying there all day long, and boom! Major-league allergic reaction for those who’re sensitive to that ingredient.

It’s not hard to imagine all sorts of things other than hand soap reacting like that, of course. Maybe there’s a plant in your garden you’re allergic to, and your gloves don’t cover your wrist when you’re pruning it; you get the idea.

Other weird things can happen, too. For example, suppose that, years and years ago, you developed an allergic reaction to a particular ingredient in a soap by having it trapped underneath a bracelet. Let’s even say that that brand of soap no longer exists. But then you start using hair conditioner with that same ingredient. Even if you never get a drop on your wrist, your watch-free wrist could still break out in an allergic reaction, while your scalp (for now) is just fine.

Again again again, the first answer is to keep your watch clean (and apply a tiny little bit of antibiotic ointment as indicated).

If that doesn’t solve the problem, see your doctor. Your doctor will probably have the answer, and will certainly refer you to a dermatologist if not.

b&

 

[seadragon]

They (the sensors) aren’t. Period, full stop, with exclamation point! Claims to the contrary are as credible as claims of the Sun rising in the west or apples falling from the ground to the tree.

NOTE: the skin irritation is very real! But it’s not caused by the sensors. This we know with as much certainty as we know that water is wet (unless frozen, etc.); that grass is green (or blue-green in Kentucky, etc.); and that the sky is blue (unless cloudy, etc.).

We know this first because it’s physically impossible for the sensors to do this; second because the reports are completely inconsistent with the only remotely imaginable ways that you could engineer them to do something that vaguely resembles observations; and because we know exactly what’s causing the lesions.

It’s contact dermatitis, in almost all cases from poor hygiene, and by an allergic reaction in all remaining cases.



Because the injury isn’t happening immediately.

Touch a stove and you’re burned instantly. Put your hands under 50°C / 122°F water, and you’ll develop burns within minutes. But you can soak forever in 45°C / 113°F water and never get burned. (You might get hyperthermia if you stay in a tub that warm for too long, but you won’t burn.)

Contact dermatitis takes time to develop, and because of the time it takes, it can lead you to make incorrect cause-and-effect conclusions. For example, wear the watch for a few days and the rash develops. Take it off and it heals. Put it back on and you’re fine for a few days again. And if you waited until the third day to turn the sensors back on? You might conclude that the sensors very quickly caused the “burn” — but the rash was going to develop at that time anyway whether the sensors were on or off.



This is possible, but very, very, very unlikely.

If it’s an allergy as opposed to poor hygiene, then it’s much more likely that the allergen is, for example, a particular ingredient in a certain hand soap (to pick one of a great many possibilities). You normally rinse off all the hand soap immediately, and who doesn’t get a bit of redness and tenderness about the hands from time to time for all sorts of reasons? But suppose you splash a bit of soapy water high enough on your wrist that some soap remains under the watch. Now it’s staying there all day long, and boom! Major-league allergic reaction for those who’re sensitive to that ingredient.

It’s not hard to imagine all sorts of things other than hand soap reacting like that, of course. Maybe there’s a plant in your garden you’re allergic to, and your gloves don’t cover your wrist when you’re pruning it; you get the idea.

Other weird things can happen, too. For example, suppose that, years and years ago, you developed an allergic reaction to a particular ingredient in a soap by having it trapped underneath a bracelet. Let’s even say that that brand of soap no longer exists. But then you start using hair conditioner with that same ingredient. Even if you never get a drop on your wrist, your watch-free wrist could still break out in an allergic reaction, while your scalp (for now) is just fine.

Again again again, the first answer is to keep your watch clean (and apply a tiny little bit of antibiotic ointment as indicated).

If that doesn’t solve the problem, see your doctor. Your doctor will probably have the answer, and will certainly refer you to a dermatologist if not.

b&

Just for the record, I don’t have this issue. I’ve owned many an Apple Watch including the Ultra that I now sport. No issues here. It must be something unique to these individuals. If it were me, I would seriously go to my doctor with the “burn” and ask WTF is going on doc?

 

[Nhwhazup]

Psychosomatic. You can make yourself feel sick just by thinking you are sick.

The red mark on her wrist was within hours of putting on the watch.