‘Toasted skin syndrome’: Spotting cases linked to device use

Getty/cheekylorns

By Olivia Bowthorpe

A BMJ case report caused a flurry of headlines this week about ‘toasted skin syndrome’ prompting warnings over prolonged contact with electronic devices.

The case involved a boy with an abdominal rash that was initially mistaken for bruising, leading to investigations before the eventual diagnosis was made several weeks later.

In BMJ Case Reports, Dr Mara Znagoveanu and Dr Edward Artley of University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust explained the final diagnosis was erythema ab igne (EAI), sometimes known as 'toasted skin syndrome', caused by repeated exposure to low-grade heat.

Although EAI is uncommon and reliable data on its prevalence are lacking, anecdotal reports suggest there has been a rise in cases among children.

Historically, it affected people exposed to open fires or stoves, but more recently there have been cases associated with the use of laptops, heating pads and space heaters.

"As more commonly reported in adults, EAI may be overlooked in children, especially when the source of heat is less obvious than the traditional sources such as hot water bottles," the doctors wrote.