"Toasted Skin Syndrome" Is the Reason Laptops Should Stay Off Your Lap

As winter weather ramps up, our skin can react to the cold with bouts of dryness, chapped lips, windburn, rosacea, psoriasis, and eczema. But one lesser-known condition—toasted skin syndrome—comes not from low temps but from excess exposure to high ones.

If you've developed an uncomfortable, net-like red rash and have spent extra time in front of a space heater or with a laptop in your lap, you may have toasted skin syndrome. As tempting as it may be to hunch over a source of warmth, blasting yourself with warm air repeatedly can actually cause vascular changes, creating a spiderweb vein pattern underneath the skin. But don't panic—board-certified dermatologists Michele Green, MD, and Lavanya Krishnan, MD, say that toasted skin syndrome generally fades away in just a few weeks, using over-the-counter treatments.

Questions? Keep scrolling to learn more about toasted skin syndrome and how to prevent it.

What Is Toasted Skin Syndrome?

Toasted skin syndrome is a heat-related skin rash, otherwise known as Erythema Ab Igne (which translates to "redness from fire" in Latin). "Toasted skin syndrome is another name for a type of hyperpigmented rash that is caused by heat exposure to the skin at levels that are too low to cause a burn," explains Green. Low-grade heat, in this case, ranges anywhere from 109.4 to 116.6 degrees Fahrenheit. "The rash is normally red or brown in color and has a distinct net-like pattern in appearance," says Green.

Krishnan adds, "The heat is usually not enough to cause a burn to the skin, but can cause changes in the superficial blood vessels and perhaps even the collagen and elastin components of the skin."

The rash pattern can often fade on its own. However, in some cases, people may experience a "mild itching or burning sensation" associated with Toasted Skin Syndrome, says Green. Krishnan notes that you may also experience some stinging.

What Causes It?

Toasted skin syndrome is caused by chronic and repetitive application of low heat levels to the skin. "The heat source may be a seat heater, space heater, a heating pad or heated blanket, or even an oven or stove," says Green. Laptops can also lead to toasted skin syndrome, and if you've ever perched your computer on your lap and experienced the sensation of heat, you can get a sense of how this can happen.

How Long Does It Last?

You can expect to see the rash associated with toasted skin syndrome fade within a month or so. Green adds that most cases carry a favorable prognosis and that most "mild cases of toasted skin syndrome can resolve on their own."

Some reports indicate a possible association between toasted skin syndrome and nonmelanoma skin cancers, but only in cases where the skin lesions evolve or ulcerate. However, testing on the subject is inconclusive.

How to Treat Toasted Skin Syndrome

Both board-certified dermatologists agree that the primary route of treatment includes removing the heat source immediately.

As far as treatment goes, you have a few options: "Depending on the location of the rash, areas with thinner skin may respond to over-the-counter Hydrocortisone 1% cream (a topical steroid cream)," says Krishnan. "Over-the-counter retinol creams, like Differin 0.1% gel can also be helpful," she says, as they can stimulate collagen production that may have been altered by the heat source. "If there is minimal to no improvement with these topical over-the-counter treatment options, a dermatologist may be able to provide other prescription alternatives." 

To alleviate any discomfort associated with the rash or burn, Green suggests taking an over-the-counter pain reliever like Motrin or Ibuprofen. She also recommends a topical treatment like aloe vera, "which can be therapeutic when applied to affected areas," she explains.

Another home remedy to try includes a whole milk compress, which, according to Green, "can be used two to three times a day in conjunction with an oral antihistamine if needed."

Both Green and Krishnan advise seeking medical attention from a board-certified dermatologist if the rash becomes, as Krishnan notes, "symptomatic, where the patient experiences itching and burning."

For more severe cases of Toasted Skin Syndrome, Green says that laser treatment can help improve persistent discoloration. "The VBeam and Fraxel are laser treatments that can address stubborn discoloration. In addition to laser treatments, chemical peels can also address any residual hyperpigmentation."

How to Prevent Toasted Skin Syndrome

Krishnan says the most critical preventative measure is to "remove the source of repetitive heat and avoid it much as possible." If you're using a space heater, be sure to sit at least two feet away from it. Don't use an electric blanket or heating pad for hours on end; instead, try using them to cozy up, and then switch to a non-heated source of warmth. It's also best to avoid direct exposure to a heated blanket or pad. You can set a timer to make sure you don't fall asleep with a heating device turned on.

"It is important to always position our devices at an appropriate distance from the skin and utilize them only for the recommended duration," says Green. "Using personal heating devices correctly and safely, keeping them on low levels, and avoiding prolonged exposure can help prevent Toasted Skin Syndrome."

Regarding laptops, Krishnan advises keeping the device on a desk or at least on top of a lap desk, pillow, or thick blanket, away from exposed skin.