Laptop dangers: Toasted skin syndrome

Source: Altered Wikimedia image

Toasted skin syndrome, or heat induced circumscribed dermal melanosis (also known as erythema ab igne), has been described in a number of cases in which an individual used a hot object directly and repeatedly on their skin. The fire-like rash is caused by absorption of the irradiated heat. This condition is also seen with laptop users – 10 such cases have been reported in medical journals in the last 6 years. Laptop users who are affected by toasted skin syndrome exhibit a sponge or net-like pattern of brownish red lines on the affected area, generally on the upper leg or thigh, sometimes one or both depending on the user’s placement of the device. The condition as caused in this context is being dubbed “laptop-induced dermatosis” and was first described in 2004.

Read more about toasted skin syndrome in laptop users.

Levels of Brain Injury

Injuries to the brain are sustained when a force impacts the head, either from without or within. For all types and levels of brain injury, the symptoms can include numbness and weakness in the extremities, extreme drowsiness, headache, dizziness, vision problems, slurred speech, vomiting or nausea, loss of consciousness and cognitive issues. Any brain injury can be devastating, whether traumatic or acquired, but the type and level of injury determines treatment and prognosis. Read more about the types and levels of brain injury.

TBI causes brain damage

Traumatic brain injury, commonly known by its acronym TBI, is a type of internal injury sustained from head trauma, including blows to the head and bullet wounds. The type of brain damage sustained from TBI depends on the type and severity of head trauma, including whether it is an open or closed injury. Read more about the types of brain damage resulting from TBI.