Thursday, October 7, 2010

Lengthy notebook periods recognized as trigger of toasted skin syndrome

Prolonged laptop usage, the way in which the device is meant to be used, can lead to an affliction called “toasted skin syndrome”. Previously associated with such occupations as foundry workers, fried skin syndrome causes skin in affected areas to assume patchy discolorations. An incidence of toasted skin syndrome which occurred in a 12-year old boy with a video game habit has given new prominence to the malady, which could result in cancer of the skin under certain conditions.

Laptops causing several toasted skin syndrome

Anyone who puts a laptop on their thighs for extended periods of time is likely to get fried skin syndrome. One boy went to the doctor who was only 12. He reportedly had “sponge-patterned” skin on his left thigh, reports CBS. For months at a time he would spend time playing computer games for a few hours every day. Another person got mottled skin on her leg as a student. The student would study for six hrs a day with the computer in her lap. She was diagnosed with toasted skin syndrome by her doctor, Dr. Kimberly Salkey. The laptop got to about 125 degrees. This is what was measured.

Skin cancer develops with an excessive amount of notebook use

Until now, toasted skin syndrome was documented in workers who toil around intense heat. If you were to take a look at the damaged skin under a microscope, claims Salkey, it would look like extreme sun exposure, accounts the Associated Press. Heating pads that do not burn but are used too often can cause fried skin syndrome also. The skin gets discolored, but has been considered harmless until now. However, Swiss researchers who published an article about toasted skin syndrome within the medical journal Pediatrics said that the condition can cause damage that leads to skin cancers.

Make an effort to get a notebook heat safeguard to assist

The Swiss researchers did not mention any skin cancer cases in the Pediatrics article. But they suggested placing a carrying case or something else to act as a laptop heat shield. There are usually warning signs from major computer makers that tell you it gets hot. It explains surely it is a temperature generated laptop and to be careful. The Associated Press explained that , when this report was published on Yahoo News, one of 10 cases about laptops that are in medical journals since 2004 have talked about toasted skin syndrome, while one of the accounts said the elevated scrotum temperatures can cause a decreased sperm production.

Articles cited

ABC News

abcnews.go.com

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com

PC World

pcworld.com

CBS News

cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20018447-10391704.html

Pediatrics

pediatrics.aappublications.org/

Yahoo News

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101004/ap_on_hi_te/us_laptop_toasted_skin



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