People have been warned about using laptop computers resting on their laps amid worries that it could cause permanent skin damage.
Swiss researchers have produced a medical report which suggests that putting laptops next to skin for long periods can lead to “toasted skin syndrome”, a mottled skin condition, caused by long-term heat exposure.
Cases highlighted by the researchers include a 12-year-old boy who developed skin discoloration on his left thigh after playing computer games with his laptop on his lap every day for several months. It was one of 10 laptop-related cases reported in medical journals in the last six years.
The researchers, Drs Andreas Arnold and Peter Itin from University Hospital Basel, say that there are no reported skin cancer cases directly linked to laptop use but they recommend placing a heat shield under the laptop if having it on the lap.
