Samsung Galaxy Watch Creating Rashes, Burns, And Blisters

New Samsung Galaxy Watch owners are complaining of skin blisters, rashes, and other irritations appearing on their skin in the official Samsung forums. Pictures show clearly inflamed skin and bumps. Some users have reported seeing a red outline appear on their skin, exactly where they wear the watch.

“The rash area is sore…it looks like the skin is stretched or burnt,” said one watch owner.

The new Samsung Galaxy Watch hit the market several weeks ago, so this seems like a big problem. But as many smartwatch wearers know, this is nothing new — and it’s not a problem that’s isolated to Samsung.

It’s not uncommon for smartwatches like the new Galaxy to create skin irritation. Fitbit issued a recall for their wearable fitness tracker in 2014, according to Gadgets and Wearables. Similar skin rashes and irritation have been reported in devices from many other manufacturers as well.

Some Galaxy users have stated that wearing other watches do not cause similar wrist irritation, but other watches are typically made with different materials than smartwatches.

Fitness trackers and smartwatches are commonly made with nickel and other metals that can cause an allergic reaction on the skin. Smartwatches usually contain more nickel than many other watch designs, so rashes appear even on people who are used to wearing other kinds of watches.

Soap and sweat can get trapped under smartwatches, which creates an irritation that leads to rashes and other skin outbreaks. Don’t wear your watch too tightly. This will allow your skin to breathe. Take your smartwatch off to clean it frequently with mild soap. Keep your watch and the skin under it dry. Moisture can encourage bacterial growth that can lead to rashes. Take your watch off after you exercise, and clean it and dry it before you put it back on your wrist. This will help prevent common smartwatch skin irritations.

Don’t sleep with your watch on so your skin can breathe at night. If you begin to develop a rash, stop wearing the watch until your skin returns to normal. If you keep having problems, you may have a nickel allergy.

Other than skin problems, Galaxy watch users are loving the new device. The watch is getting positive reviews not just for its fitness tracking options, but for its smartwatch functionality. Gizmodo said the Galaxy watch has “a superb design” and the watch’s “interface is the best of any watch on the market.” The price on the watch fell to under $300 after launching at $330, which leaves some money left over for aloe.