The computer age has already spawned a number of ergonomic illnesses. The latest? “toasted skin syndrome,” which doctors say is caused by laptop computers resting too long on a user’s legs.
As reported on the CBS News website, a 12-year-old boy and a law student have both been treated for discolorations on the legs following a history of extended laptop use. The boy had played computer games every day for months and developed a sponge-shaped skin blemish on one thigh, and the law student had spent up to six hours a day with her computer in her lap, which led to a mottled discoloration on her leg. The temperature on the bottom of her laptop computer was measured at 125 degrees. Medical journals have recorded 10 causes of laptop-related injures over the past six years.
Although the injuries appear to be harmless, experts warn that such exposure could conceivably lead to the development of skin cancers.
by First Draft
Categories: Work/Life