caused by laptop excess use laptop health issues

1. WELCOME
Ms. saraswathi.
Assistant
professor
Jss college of

2. LAP TOP TOAST
SYNDROME

3. Introduction
 The first laptop was invented in
1979 by British Designer Bill
Moggridge.
 A laptop is a computer which is
easy to carry around. Its user
can fold the laptop up and be
able to take it with him/her. The
laptop was created mainly for
this particular reason. In order
to develop a easier way to carry
a computer technology was

4.  Laptop computers, also known as
notebooks, are portable computers that
you can take with you and use in different
environments. They include a screen,
keyboard, and a track pad or trackball,
which serves as the mouse.

5. Laptops have a lot of advantages like:
 People can carry them anywhere,
whether office or home.
 The work area of a laptop is much
smaller than an ordinary personal
computer.
Portable computers have several
negative points like:
 Computer thefts became easier.
 While used in the car they can cause car
accidents.
 They break more easily than desktop
computers.

6. Health issues
 People who spend prolonged periods of time
studying, reading, or playing games on laptop
computers resting on their upper legs could
develop “toasted skin syndrome,” the
condition, technically called “erythema ab
igne”.

7. WHAT IS THIS TOASTED SKIN
SYNDROME?
 “Toasted Skin Syndrome” is the repeating
stress injury of the skin caused by frequent
and prolonged heating.
 Toasted Skin Syndrome is clinically known
as Erythema Ab Igne and commonly
known by various names such as 'laptop
thigh' and 'hot water bottle rash' . Swiss
doctors also call it 'laptop-induced
dermatosis' .

8. Definition
 Erythema ab igne (EAI, also known as hot
water bottle rash, fire stains, laptop thigh,
granny's tartan and toasted skin syndrome)
is a skin condition caused by long-term
exposure to heat (infrared radiation).
Prolonged thermal radiation exposure to
the skin can lead to the development of
reticulated erythema, hyperpigmentation
and scaling in the affected area.

9. Causes
 Resting a laptop computer on the thigh (laptop
computer-induced erythema ab igne).
 Temperatures between 43-47°C can cause this
skin condition; modern laptops can generate
temperatures in this range. Indeed, laptops with
powerful processors can reach temperatures of
50°C and be associated with burns.
 Positioning of the laptop on the thighs can allow
for direct exposure to the heating elements of the
laptop, which include the central processing unit
(CPU) and the graphics processing unit (GPU).
 Repeated application of hot water bottles,
heating blankets or heat pads to treat chronic

10.  Repeated exposure to heated car seats, space
heaters, or fireplaces. Repeated or prolonged
exposure to a heater is a common cause of this
condition in elderly individuals.
 Occupational hazards of silversmiths and
jewellers (face exposed to heat) and bakers

11. Incidence
 At least 15 cases have been reported by 2012 in U.K.
this condition usually affecting the left anterior thigh.
In these reports, 9 of the 15 patients were women
(60%) with an average age of 25 years have the
diagnosis of laptop toast syndrome.

12. Who is at risk?
 People who spend prolonged periods of
time studying, reading , or playing games
on laptops resting on their upper legs could
develop this skin syndrome.
 Erythema ab igne was once commonly
seen in the elderly who stood or sat closely
to open fires or electric heaters
 however, erythema ab igne has been
reported in both young and elderly
individuals.
 Women have a higher incidence of
erythema ab igne than men.

13. Pathogenesis
 The pathogenesis remains unknown.
 It has been proposed that thermal radiation
exposure can induce epidermal damage to
superficial blood vessels that subsequently
leads to vascular dilation.
 Subsequent hemosiderin deposition can
occurs.
 The vasodilatation of vessels presents
morphologically as the initially observed
erythema.

14.  Red blood cell extravasion and
deposition of hemosiderin that follows
clinically appears as hyperpigmentation.
 It has also been proposed that the
distribution of affected blood vessels —
predominantly in the superficial
subcutaneous plexus (found in the
papillary dermis)— results in the net-like
pattern.

15. Symptoms
 Prolonged and repeated exposure to
heat causes a marked redness.
 discoloration of the skin.
 It will give a blotchy appearance which
will appear as toasted skin.
 Mild itching
 burning sensation

16.  The skin develops a patch which is mottled
(caused by local hemostasis — stagnation
of blood)
 Later becomes reticulated erythema (patchy
striped erythema) leaving behind
pigmentation.
 Repeated skin exposure can waste tissues,
typically due to the degeneration of cells.
 If there is a persistent soreness that does
not heal, a skin biopsy should be performed
to rule out the possibility of skin cancer.

17. Harmful effects
 Skin cancer
 Infertility: Just 10 to 15 minutes of
exposyure is enough to reduce potency
and sperm count.
potential consequences including

18. Pain in the Neck
One of the main ergonomic drawbacks of the laptop is
that the screen and keyboard are very close together.
This causes the users to hunch, affecting them
negatively. The laptop, as per the name, is supposed to
be kept on the lap and this increases the tendency to
bend the head, mounting tension in the neck which
causes pain and in certain extreme cases, can lead to
disc displacement.

19. Shoulder Cramp
The laptop is often used while travelling and
therefore the shoulder is compressed in order to
have a better view of the screen. This leads to
cramps in the shoulder. Also, while using a
laptop, people tend to forget the right body
posture as they are engrossed with the screen.

20. Vision Fatigue
As the distance between the screen of the laptop
and the keyboard is very little, the constant
staring at the flashing screen can spell sorry-sore
to the eye. The reddening of the eye, itching and
blurring are some of the common problems
related to the eyes.

21.  Spine and Nerves
When we use a laptop for prolonged periods, the
spine is hunched and the vertebrae and the discs
begin to degenerate. While using a laptop, our neck-
curve straightens and affects the spring-like
mechanism. When under pressure, the discs suffer a
process of spinal degeneration. The long hours can
send the nerve into irritation mode. This can lead to
arthritis and nerve damage.

22. The Hot Laps
Laptops are supposed to be used by placing it on
the lap. And while we use it on a lap, we tend to
cut off a lot of space for the heat of the battery to
escape. With excess usage in extreme cases, the
laptop may burst causing severe injuries.

23.  R.S.I. (Repetitive Strain Injury)
The constant usage of the laptop causes neck and
shoulder strain, finger numbness.
 Risky for Tumor Development
 Testicular Cancer Linked with Laptop Radiation

24. Pregnancy Risks
There has been some concern about hazards to
pregnant women from radiation emitted from
laptops. According to research at Radiation
Answers, the amounts of radiation that may be
emitted are so minimal.However, doctors advise
pregnant women to avoid holding a laptop on
their lap or stomach because of the heat that
functioning laptops produce.

25. Treatment
 First of all , identification of the root cause,
i.e., the source of the heat, needs to be
identified.
 If it is excess duration of laptop usage, it
should be cut down.
 Direct contact of the laptop and the skin
should be avoided by placing a barrier in
between.
 Discontinuing contact with the heat source
is the initial treatment of erythema ab igne
 The skin change, if detected early and is

26.  For persistent redness, anti-
inflammatory creams can be used.
 For pigmentary changes, addition of
topical tretinoin (a drug related to retinol
or vitamin A) cream may be mandatory.
 In some cases, one may require laser
therapy.
 laptop coolers are also available
 Foods and supplements rich in omega-3
fats, zinc, selenium, folic acid, and
vitamins C and E increase sperm count.

27. GENERAL MEASURES
 Health experts are recommending that if you
absolutely have to use your laptop on your lap,
you should insert a sturdy pillow of at least 6”
thickness between your lap and the laptop.
Otherwise, it’s best to use it on a table or desk,
as the radiation falls away rather quickly with
increasing distance.
 Because of the dangers of close proximity to
the laptop, even typing on it can be harmful.
For safety’s sake, experts suggest keeping at
least 30 cm away from laptop.

28.  Research was conducted by Laura J.
Martin in Switzerland regarding laptop
toast Syndrome. Child of 12-year-old boy
developed a sponge-patterned
discoloration on his left thigh after playing
computer games with his laptop resting on
his upper legs a few hours per day for
several months.
 Researcher reported in the Nov. 5 issue of
journal of Pediatrics 2007.

29.  Swiss researchers, Drs. Andreas Arnold
and Peter Itin from University Hospital
Basel conducted a study and found some
evidence that a hot laptop could lead to
skin damage that might develop into skin
cancer.
 They do not cite any specific cases of skin
cancer from laptop use, but they did
suggest in their study placing a carrying
case or pad between your body and the
laptop.
 Dr. Howard Pride, associate professor,
department of dermatology and pediatrics,
said continued heat exposure from a warm
battery may lead to a brown skin
discoloration that represents a net-like

30.  According to researcher at the State
University of New York at Stony Brook,
reported that there is a direct correlation
between laptop use and increased
scrotum temperature. In fact, hot laptops
have been found to increase the
temperature of scrotums up to 35 degrees
above the normal body temperature of
98.6 degrees.
 This increase has a well-documented
harmful effect on sperm production, which
may lead to infertility.

31.  A study to evaluate the direct impact of laptop use on
human sperm was published in January 2012 in
Fertility & Sterility, showing a significant decrease in
sperm motility and an increase in sperm DNA
fragmentation. And this was after just four hours of
exposure.
 Although these studies on laptops measured non-
thermal effects, there are other studies that have
showed that sperm may also be damaged through
thermal effects when a laptop is used on a lap if a
man’s legs are held close together.

32. Discarding it completely is neither possible
nor a good judgment. But using it wisely is an
option you still have!

33. THANK YOU