As the cold weather sets in, many people turn to thermal blankets for comfort and warmth.
However, one doctor warns that a winter staple can cause permanent skin damage.
Dr. Heather Kornmehl, a Texas-based dermatologist, told her 106,000 followers in a TikTok that heated blankets can cause an irreversible rash known as erythema ab igne (derived from Latin and translated as “redness from fire”).
Caused by prolonged use of heat directly on the skin, it produces a red or brown rash with a distinctive web-like pattern, as well as itching.
It can happen to anyone who is exposed to chronic low-level heat, such as an electric blanket, but also when using a hot water bottle, resting a laptop on your lap, or leaning on a radiator.
The heat is usually not enough to cause a burn, but it is enough to damage or cause changes to the superficial blood vessels under the skin, as well as the collagen and elastin protein fibers in the skin, causing a distinctive appearance. and discoloration.
This skin rash is usually permanent and can leave you scarred for life.
As colder weather approaches, many people may turn to thermal blankets to feel more comfortable.
In her TikTok, which has been viewed more than 2.6 million times, Dr. Kornmehl also warns against using heating pads or sitting next to heaters for “extended periods of time repeatedly.”
In her TikTok, which has been viewed more than 2.6 million times, Dr. Kornmehl also warns against using heating pads directly on the skin or sitting next to heaters for “extended periods of time repeatedly.”
He adds in the caption: “With the cold weather ahead, we need to be careful not to repeatedly apply prolonged heat to our skin.”
The NIH says erythema ab igne was historically a condition found in bakers and industrial workers who were exposed to heat for long periods of time.
But this condition “has recently resurfaced in the medical literature with the use of new heat sources, such as laptop computers and heated car seats.”
Experts note that while the condition can be remedied by eliminating heat exposure, if there is a delay in diagnosis or continued heat exposure, it can lead to permanent pigmentation.
What is more worrying is that it can progress to various forms of skin cancer.
This condition, also known as tanned skin syndrome, is known to be more common in women than men and in patients with chronic pain.
Most people have no associated symptoms, but some may experience itching, burning, or tingling.
Dr. Ji Qi, a dermatologist in Baltimore, Maryland, says the best way to prevent erythema ab igne is to stop using the external heat source directly on the body and use something as a buffer.
She advises: ‘If you use a laptop, place it on a table or desk rather than on your skin.
‘If you must place it on your lap, use a lap desk as a buffer between the laptop and your skin.
An article published in the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine discusses a severe case of erythema ab igne in a 42-year-old man.
“If you use a heating pad or electric blanket, use the lowest setting possible or limit the duration of use.”
Dr. Qi says an important sign to immediately remove the heat source is redness of the skin.
In milder cases of tanned skin syndrome, Dr. Qi notes that the skin changes usually go away, although it may take several months or longer.
However, in more severe cases, the skin changes may be permanent.
Laser therapy and depigmentation creams may be used to help treat pigmentation.
An article published in the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine discusses a severe case of erythema ab igne.
A 42-year-old man told how he had been constantly using a heating pad for “several hours at a time” to deal with chronic back pain related to his intensive work.
Upon physical examination, doctors discovered a large, mottled, hyperpigmented, dark brown spot spread over his back.
The man said it did not hurt or itch and confirmed that the area of hyperpigmentation corresponded to the area of use of the heating pad.
Taking into account this history and the physical findings, the diagnosis of erythema ab igne was made.
The authors of the article note that the condition is “rare” and hot water bottles and heating pads They are usually the culprits.