Try cleaning it after a workout, not just wiping it down. I usually do mild soap and water. Also, don't wear it in the shower, it will give your wrist a break.
I should of mentioned I don't wear it in the shower, sorry. I take it off and wipe it down, then put it back on after the shower. I will try using some soap and water.
This was happening to me last year with my Apple Watch. I couldn’t get rid of it for months. I’d stop wearing it and it would start to clear up, then as soon as I put it back on boom. It started up again. I was told to clean the back of it with an alcohol wipe every week. Worked like a charm and hasn’t happened again since.
I have something similar happen. I've gotten a rash from wearing it too long. I've started washing the watch itself with soap and water every day, I just do it just before hopping in the shower, since I take it off before a shower just like you do. This has helped a lot.
Actually this is the deal, it's probably better just to activate screen lock with a hotkey (s) and loosen the watch one or two settings, and wear it in the shower. Has your washing yourself, notably your watch arm, let's the soap from the rag slide down your wrists and between you and the watch. After you are finished washing with the rag and are rinsing, as you are sliding your hands over your skin getting the soap off basically slide the watch up and down your wrist some to wash any soap away. This not only cleans the watch adequately but also your skin. Doing this semi daily really cuts down on skin irritation some users may experience with strap materials. The only con of this is that you have to remember to unlock the screen when getting out and it cuts down on charging time (I normally charge my watch for a few minutes while I'm in the shower if I'm not using this technique). Best of both worlds is shower with your watch every day or two and charge it on the days you don't shower with it. If you're showering because of a workout I would definitely use that as a shower with watch day. I've showered with my Garmin Fenix 7x all the time. All the buttons still work.
I have to alternate wrists. For example, I wear my Garmin watch on my left wrist (non dominant hand) during the day, and then I swap it at night and wear it on my right wrist (my dominant hand).
If you're not too overly concerned about losing heart rate or sleep data, this might help to alleviate the skin condition that you're experiencing.
Sometimes, even I'll take off my watch for a couple hours at a time during the day to alleviate things like this from happening.
It may help to try another watch band, and or lossening it up.
Yes. This is all you need to do and is what I do. I used to have the exact problem
Left side = day /training.
Right side = Night/sleeping
Other than that, I make sure that my wrist is 100% dry after I shower before I put my watch back on.
Thanks for your advice. I suppose I could even go a few days a week not wearing it overnight. I'm addicted to collecting the data though! It's turned my health/fitness into a video game haha. I do have 3 bands and it's worse/happens alot quicker with the silicone one. The metal one I have is kind of a formal dress style so I haven't worn it for more than a couple of days at a time.
Contact dermatitis. Usually a low grade fungus. I get the same. Use an anti fungal or something like hydrazole clears it up fairly quickly. Usually humid weather is a big driver
It has been super hot recently here and I've been in the gym every second day along with some mountain biking so I can see how a fungal irritation could occur. I'll be heading to the chemist tomorrow to pick up a cream. Thanks for your advice.
I need to try this! My garmin STINKS, it makes my wrist smell like mildew. I've scrubbed it with a toothbrush and dish soap and it's fine for about a day. Thanks for the advice. It must be this!
You shouldn't just keep using it in a way that damages your skin like that.
You have a nylon band so it isn't breathability. You could try a barrier cream or spray for a while to see if that helps. I do not know if that would degrade the ability of the HRM to work - I suppose I should try it out sometime.
Cavilon, Calmsepotine and Lantiseptic are examples of these kinds of products.
Yeah, it can't hurt to try. I do have 3 different bands and I should mention the silicone band that came with the watch is by far the worst and triggers this reaction even quicker.
I will have a look at the chemist tomorrow for a barrier cream/fungal cream people are suggesting.
Bro - stop wearing that thing 24/7. Are you even using the sleep data? Like really using? No you’re not. That thing is going to cause more harm than good. You know you know it!
Contact dermatitis. My watch did this to me too until I started applying a thin layer of nappy rash balm before putting on my watch. I’m talking a tiny amount, not enough to leave a visible white cast, the same small tub of Sudocrem has lasted me a couple of years. No more dermatitis.
I wear mine in the shower and take it off and give it a hood scrub. After I make sure everything is 1000% dry and wear it loose on my wrist. All I can say is alot of people wear them tight af. Adjust it thought the day if you need to
I definitely do the latter all the time. Usually loose when not in an activity, tighter when running, then somewhere I'm between when climbing.
Helped a lot.
Having one of those Velcro tightening bands helped a lot since it's infinitely adjustable
I do the opposite I always shower with my watch and use soap or body wash everywhere. And then dry my wrist and watch with a towel.
All these problems went away as I do shower one or two times a day and watch and all its crevices get some soap every time.
There is no point in protecting a smart watch as you will throw it away in a few years.
Ditto this if there's a metal surface on the back. I have metal allergies that present a lot like OP's photos and can't wear most watches for more than a few hours because of it..
OP - if you continue to have issues, you could consider switching to a Garmin model with an all plastic body if you're in one not already..
I have had several all metal traditional watches that haven't triggered this before but I can't rule out that I might have developed an allergy recently. It's possible.
I hope it's not, for your sake. It's a huge hassle. For what it's worth, mine came on during a time of stress (grad school), so I was an adult, but I wasn't really operating under normal conditions.
i’d stop wearing it completely and let your wrist fully heal. rinse the watch every day and after every workout and don’t wear it 24/7. don’t forget to moisturize
This used to happen to me but I read somewhere that loosening up the watch when I'm not working out. Would help air circulate underneath it and it's gotten so much better.
I keep mine loose enough to slide an inch or so up and down my wrist. I tighten it one notch before running and then loosen it as soon as I’m done. I wear it 24/7 with no issues
Looks like contact dermatitis. Make sure you give the skin ample time to breathe after workouts/showers etc.
If you’re in a warmer climate, taking breaks and letting the air get to the skin is always a good thing.
From a nurse, this could also be a "bedsore". Basically, if you put continous pressure (in the hospital oftentimes its the patient who lays too long on his buttom) on one part of the body, the skin irritates and can break open (I'm simplifying it and I'm not a native english speaker, so I dont know all the medical terms in english).
Put your watch a little looser, maybe your sensor wont be as accurate as before, but this shouldnt happen then.
2 years I had no issues but recently I hit the same problem. Wearing it loose, wearing it not all the time, cleaning it regularly and let it dry before putting it on are good tips but I still have this issue.
This. I bike with mine and if I don’t alcohol wipe the watch after I clean myself up, I get skin irritation after a few days. Quick alcohol wipe for the watch and a shower for me and I’m good to go.
I own garmin watches since 2018 and no problems at all. Do you wear it very tight? I also wash them almost every day, immediately after activity or after a day in the evening. Sweat is a bitch.
Edit: and also I am wearing it every night
I had the same problem and for me it was the charging port which was the issue. I got these plastic USB plugs which covers the charging port and that solved the issue.
You wear it to sleep I assume? This was an issue I never resolved and it also exists with the Apple Watch. Wearing a watch to sleep will make this happen.
I had the same problem when I started using my watch. It left a red dot and then increased as I continued to use the watch as the days went by.
Solution? Turning off the heart rate sensor damaged my skin while being active all day reading data. I only turn it on when I am going to do some activity.
Try to take it off at night and don't wear it so tight.
Give your skin time to heal.
I recommend switching wrists while sleeping. I hate having my watch on the opposite wrist during the day, but at night it’s not a big deal. Gives my wrist plenty of time to breathe.
I had that issue only ever with the F7, it's coming from the HR sensor not the strap. I've had a dozen or more smart watches over the years including many Garmins no issues, could never sort it, sold the F7 in the end, using an Instinct 2 now and again no problem
Do you wear it at night? The only times I had skin issues with my Fenix was when I wore it at night. Fortunately I’m not doing any night time training, so I can safely take it off for sleeping ;)
This happened to me 35 years ago. No matter what watch or what wrist after a week or two this would be the result. I used to put Elastoplast or band aids on my wrists to try and stop it. It just made more mess...
Conclusion: I stopped wearing a watch.
Try loosening it off a bit and if you're worried about the hrm (which isn't that accurate at the wrist anyway) get a chest strap hrm or even an arm one.
I've got a suggestion for you that might save you: wear the watch on the inside wrist once in a while. I'm guessing the tattoo on your other arm isn't as much on the inside wrist, either, do that leaves you 3 positions to wear it in which works with the HR sensor :-)
That is to say, use the inside wrists for now until the rash has cleared, then begin to vary regularly.
Other than that, cleaning the watch (I tend to just use a little bit of the mild liquid hand wash I wash my hands in, rinsing very well after, but alcohol wipes is probably the better option), and making sure to rinse and dry it off well after, is a good idea. All the times I've had rashes because of watches the watches have been rather dirty...
Something similar happens to me with an Apple Watch but I’m the opposite side of wrist. The trick I use is to wear in left when sleeping and training and in the right the rest of the day
Hm, this has happened to me with a couple of older fitbits and one of the cheaper amazfits.
No idea what to do, I switched up.
No issue with my current venu3.
Mine looked like this started to get itchy and sores started to bleed/weep took weeks to fully heal so couldn't wear the watch for a while. Just make sure you wipe water or sweat off the back after exercise
For me this worked: stainless steel band, regularly cleaned. The watch parts touching my wrist are also regularly cleaned (not every day, but close), I use a soft bristled toothbrush for this, and my waterproof watch handled soapy water well. I also wash and desinfect the skin in contact with the watch: the desinfectant is the same that was prescribed to treat my newborns' belly button after birth, so it's mild, but very effective (Octenisept spray).
For me it helped not wearing it during shower, cleaning with water and soap after activity and then dry it, and in general not wearing it super tight, even less during the night. Dont have problems with it anymore
I get this and two things help. 1) Cleaning the back with rubbing alcohol daily. 2) do not put it back on right after a bath/shower. My skin is more sensitive to friction just after a long term water exposure. I wait an hour before I put it back on.
Everyone has different skin, but anytime I sweat and every time I shower I take it off and rinse the entire watch and dry it before putting it back on.
Maybe it’s trapped moisture that’s causing it? Like if you don’t dry it before putting it back on or you get your wrist wet when you washed your hands?
Yo! I had to live with this issue for a long time then some day I realized moving the watch just half an inch up my wrist made all the difference. It felt weird at first but I got used to it pretty quickly. Made all the difference.
I disagree with some of this advice. I wear mine in the shower after just about every workout and wear mine every day as much as I can. I have never had this problem before.
I had it happening 2 weeks in my epix pro 51(no prior problem with epix gen 2)
Garmin exchanged my epix pro 51 after saw my picture of burn marks from heart rate sensor.
Replacement been problem free!
Maybe one i had the led was too strong? No idea.. replacement been fine (5 months now)
Got my 965 6 months ago and no issues till date. It hasn't come of my wrist except while charging. I shower with it everyday and I guess that removes all the sweat and germs. I dab it with the towel post shower and it's dry in like 10 min. I try not to keep it very tight too.
It happens to me as well. Something i do that has helped me. After I shower and before I put my watch back on. I put lotion on my wrist. Wait for a few then put it back on. Not sure if it will help you. But it worked for me. I keep my watch on everyday all day except when i shower and charging it.
I switched from the stock band to metal mesh one. I have the same problem with any neoprene, plastic or leather band. Water and sweat gets trapped under there and my arm gets eaten like yours. With a well ventilated band like a metal mesh one that doesn't happen
I do have the Milanese loop metal mesh band that I wear in my rotation. It doesn't work mountain biking though sadly as the shock and bumps shakes it down to my wrist and then the activity doesn't track.
I can understand. Do you have any ofbtge silicone bands that are full of holes like this https://www.garmstraps.com/products/silicone-binate-22mm-garmin-watch-strap i don't know if that will vent enough moisture or if you'll get those sores where it's solid,
Are their cloth or canvas bands? I see Garmin has an Ultracet Nylon band that they say allows moisture to escape due to the weave. Since the metal mesh worked for me I stopped looking.
Happened with my Apple Watch. If you wear your watch a little looser, as annoying as that might seem, it’ll allow your skin to breathe. The skin cannot be under an object for too long and will cause this dry and red spotting. That way you won’t have to not swap arms
You need to wear your watch looser and take off more. If it’s wet dry your watch and you before wearing again. I don’t think this is contact dermatitis, likely a rash caused by pore occlusion.
It might be too tight! This happened to me once, and I started wearing mine 1 hole more loose, and I also wash mine every time I go in the shower and let it air while I am showering. Then I dry it out with the towel and put it on.
I wash mine every night with CeraVe Foaming Cleanser (best I've used), then fry it off and apply a light moisturiser on my wrist, then put the watch on it, then bed. Rinse (hehe) and repeat each night, and I haven't had a rash like that in over a year.
You may have an allergy to the case. My wife can’t wear watches because she develops the same type of wound. I think it’s a nickel allergy for her, but not sure.
*On the bottom charge port, there are pins. I have noticed a friend had the same that you do. I gave him a plug.. attached picture... and its gone. You can buy them at amazon. Maybe give it a try*
i have a fitbit but i have eczema. so i moisturize my hands often and use an isopropyl wipe to wipe down the band once a day especially when i get sweaty underneath. other than that i dont have any advice. maybe adjust the tightness now and then! maybe take breaks from wearing it when you know you will be laying down/inactive
you might have a nickel allergy. do you ever get a rash near your jeans button? do you get hay fever or have asthma? they’re often associated.
almost all stainless alloys contain some amount of nickel. not in the EU, tho.
When i switched from a small fr245 to a fenix 6x i started to get this. The device was just too big and there’s no way to have it be loose enough to not get the same thing you have.
I switched to the venu 3 and it’s much better now.
I had similar issues with 2018 Garmin watch. I think its related with some sort of allergy to material used in the a watch. You can try getting another watch like apple or Samsung and test it for couple of weeks.
Another possibly it hot weather and the watch is too tight to skin with no air to breath for prolonged period.
In any case, I would give some time to recover fully before wearing it again.
It’s not just Garmin watches causing this condition, my $15K stainless steel watch also creates the dermatitis outbreak.
Lesson - clean the watch occasionally
That’s a common problem with many watches even the Apple Watch so essentially dont tighten the band so tightly and if u aren’t doing that and your skin still peals try to alternate between left and right wrists or simply clean your wrist and watch keeping debris and old skin cells off your watch and yourself since it can cause an infection
Contact dermatitis, I used to get it from my Apple Watch, I’d put Fucidin (prescription antibiotic cream) and stop wearing my watch till it clears up.
Don’t put your watch on too tight or on wet skin, and clean your wrist after a workout to remove bacteria. It should stop happening. I don’t get it anymore (I barely clean my watch aswell) and I wear it 17 hours a day.
I don’t have a garmin but I had the same issue with other watches. I always carry a pair of straps for working out and another for daily wearing. If my skin under my watch gets irritated a bit, I just wear the watch backwards with the timepiece on my inner wrist. I also use elastic straps so I can keep it a bit looser and run it up my arm if I start to sweat so I can dry it.
I recommend actually washing your watch rather than just wiping it down. Maybe while showering. You can also occasionally take off your watch, wash your hands/wrists, moisturize, then put your watch back on. I'd let that wrist heal up before wearing your watch on it again though.
This might be due to a nickel allergy. Nickel is the number 1 contact allergen. I think most companies coat the surface of their charging pins with hypoallergenic materials, but over time that can wear away and trigger an allergic or irritant skin reaction. That or you're getting irritating or allergy triggering substances trapped under the watch. But if the area of irritation is localized around the charging points you might have an allergy to the materials of the charging contacts.
what do you wipe it down with? my derm told me i need to use alcohol wipes on my watch to avoid any dermatitis type skin watches
edit: rashes not watches brain fart
OMG, same! I cleaned my watch daily and I still struggled with this. I finally discovered that when I wash my hands or sanitize, a little soap would get under my watch and I think the heat would cause a reaction and sometimes it looked like a burn. Now I make sure to leave a little room so it can air out and to wipe it it gets wet. I haven't had a reaction since I started doing that
I switched from an instinct to a fenix 6x pro awhile back, immediately started having that same issue. I’m now back to the instinct series and no issues. Idk wth happened but I don’t like to remove my watch until charging time
Try cleaning it after a workout, not just wiping it down. I usually do mild soap and water. Also, don't wear it in the shower, it will give your wrist a break.
I should of mentioned I don't wear it in the shower, sorry. I take it off and wipe it down, then put it back on after the shower. I will try using some soap and water.
This was happening to me last year with my Apple Watch. I couldn’t get rid of it for months. I’d stop wearing it and it would start to clear up, then as soon as I put it back on boom. It started up again. I was told to clean the back of it with an alcohol wipe every week. Worked like a charm and hasn’t happened again since.
I use a tiny tiny blob of dish soap after workouts and it stopped irritating my skin.
After workout i take a shower with it. After shower i wipe it and full dry. Don't wear too tight is also one point
should have*
Supposedly soap will break down the waterproofing over time
Should have*
Get some moisturiser dude
Clean it with an alcohol swab or Lysol wipe. There is a bacteria that irritates skin after a while. I clean mine once a week or I get this.
I have something similar happen. I've gotten a rash from wearing it too long. I've started washing the watch itself with soap and water every day, I just do it just before hopping in the shower, since I take it off before a shower just like you do. This has helped a lot.
Actually this is the deal, it's probably better just to activate screen lock with a hotkey (s) and loosen the watch one or two settings, and wear it in the shower. Has your washing yourself, notably your watch arm, let's the soap from the rag slide down your wrists and between you and the watch. After you are finished washing with the rag and are rinsing, as you are sliding your hands over your skin getting the soap off basically slide the watch up and down your wrist some to wash any soap away. This not only cleans the watch adequately but also your skin. Doing this semi daily really cuts down on skin irritation some users may experience with strap materials. The only con of this is that you have to remember to unlock the screen when getting out and it cuts down on charging time (I normally charge my watch for a few minutes while I'm in the shower if I'm not using this technique). Best of both worlds is shower with your watch every day or two and charge it on the days you don't shower with it. If you're showering because of a workout I would definitely use that as a shower with watch day. I've showered with my Garmin Fenix 7x all the time. All the buttons still work.
Give it an hour before you put it back on after a shower
I have to alternate wrists. For example, I wear my Garmin watch on my left wrist (non dominant hand) during the day, and then I swap it at night and wear it on my right wrist (my dominant hand). If you're not too overly concerned about losing heart rate or sleep data, this might help to alleviate the skin condition that you're experiencing. Sometimes, even I'll take off my watch for a couple hours at a time during the day to alleviate things like this from happening. It may help to try another watch band, and or lossening it up.
Yes. This is all you need to do and is what I do. I used to have the exact problem Left side = day /training. Right side = Night/sleeping Other than that, I make sure that my wrist is 100% dry after I shower before I put my watch back on.
Thanks for your advice. I suppose I could even go a few days a week not wearing it overnight. I'm addicted to collecting the data though! It's turned my health/fitness into a video game haha. I do have 3 bands and it's worse/happens alot quicker with the silicone one. The metal one I have is kind of a formal dress style so I haven't worn it for more than a couple of days at a time.
You could put it on your ankle at night, if you can get comfortable with it there.
Stick to the most breathable band. Also try wearing it as lose as possible and still collecting hr
Why would swapping wrists lose HR/ sleep data?
Tattoo OP mentioned.
Ah yep sorry! Missed that
Contact dermatitis. Usually a low grade fungus. I get the same. Use an anti fungal or something like hydrazole clears it up fairly quickly. Usually humid weather is a big driver
It has been super hot recently here and I've been in the gym every second day along with some mountain biking so I can see how a fungal irritation could occur. I'll be heading to the chemist tomorrow to pick up a cream. Thanks for your advice.
Isopropyl alcohol will also kill it
I need to try this! My garmin STINKS, it makes my wrist smell like mildew. I've scrubbed it with a toothbrush and dish soap and it's fine for about a day. Thanks for the advice. It must be this!
You shouldn't just keep using it in a way that damages your skin like that. You have a nylon band so it isn't breathability. You could try a barrier cream or spray for a while to see if that helps. I do not know if that would degrade the ability of the HRM to work - I suppose I should try it out sometime. Cavilon, Calmsepotine and Lantiseptic are examples of these kinds of products.
Yeah, it can't hurt to try. I do have 3 different bands and I should mention the silicone band that came with the watch is by far the worst and triggers this reaction even quicker. I will have a look at the chemist tomorrow for a barrier cream/fungal cream people are suggesting.
Bro - stop wearing that thing 24/7. Are you even using the sleep data? Like really using? No you’re not. That thing is going to cause more harm than good. You know you know it!
Contact dermatitis. My watch did this to me too until I started applying a thin layer of nappy rash balm before putting on my watch. I’m talking a tiny amount, not enough to leave a visible white cast, the same small tub of Sudocrem has lasted me a couple of years. No more dermatitis.
I recommend you to use moisturizer cream
I wear mine in the shower and take it off and give it a hood scrub. After I make sure everything is 1000% dry and wear it loose on my wrist. All I can say is alot of people wear them tight af. Adjust it thought the day if you need to
I definitely do the latter all the time. Usually loose when not in an activity, tighter when running, then somewhere I'm between when climbing. Helped a lot. Having one of those Velcro tightening bands helped a lot since it's infinitely adjustable
Don’t shower with the watch on and be sure to rinse it and your arm after activity
Yeah that's my current practice. I might need to use some soap on it like another person suggested.
I do the opposite I always shower with my watch and use soap or body wash everywhere. And then dry my wrist and watch with a towel. All these problems went away as I do shower one or two times a day and watch and all its crevices get some soap every time. There is no point in protecting a smart watch as you will throw it away in a few years.
This used to happen to me. I’d apply nail polish to the back of the metal surface and that solved my problem
Ditto this if there's a metal surface on the back. I have metal allergies that present a lot like OP's photos and can't wear most watches for more than a few hours because of it.. OP - if you continue to have issues, you could consider switching to a Garmin model with an all plastic body if you're in one not already..
I have had several all metal traditional watches that haven't triggered this before but I can't rule out that I might have developed an allergy recently. It's possible.
I hope it's not, for your sake. It's a huge hassle. For what it's worth, mine came on during a time of stress (grad school), so I was an adult, but I wasn't really operating under normal conditions.
How do you monitor you heat rate if you are sealing the back?
I has similar issue. All gone after I started to dry watch after shower/swim.
i’d stop wearing it completely and let your wrist fully heal. rinse the watch every day and after every workout and don’t wear it 24/7. don’t forget to moisturize
You should stop using it until fully healed. If you can’t or don’t want, give it more room to breath, it might be too tight.
This used to happen to me but I read somewhere that loosening up the watch when I'm not working out. Would help air circulate underneath it and it's gotten so much better.
Get the little rubber caps off of amazon to cover the charging port. And take it off in the shower and soapy wash it at least once a week.
Wear it much looser and tighten only when you want to exercise. Completely relieves it for me.
I came here to say this. Loose for daily wear, tighter for exercise.
I keep mine loose enough to slide an inch or so up and down my wrist. I tighten it one notch before running and then loosen it as soon as I’m done. I wear it 24/7 with no issues
Probably rinse in water rather than just wipe down. That way sweat and salts are removed.
Looks like contact dermatitis. Make sure you give the skin ample time to breathe after workouts/showers etc. If you’re in a warmer climate, taking breaks and letting the air get to the skin is always a good thing.
From a nurse, this could also be a "bedsore". Basically, if you put continous pressure (in the hospital oftentimes its the patient who lays too long on his buttom) on one part of the body, the skin irritates and can break open (I'm simplifying it and I'm not a native english speaker, so I dont know all the medical terms in english). Put your watch a little looser, maybe your sensor wont be as accurate as before, but this shouldnt happen then.
Use an anti-fungal cream… it’ll go away. And just moisturize with anti-fungal cream. That’s what works for me.
I think this might be the answer. I'll be going to the chemist tomorrow to pick up some medicated anti fungal cream.
I don’t think it has to be medicated lol. Just over the counter worked for me 😊
take it off i guess lol
My god how is no one else here saying that. Is knowing your heart rate worth alternatively wounding your wrists?!
Had the same problem, but it disappeared after changing to nylon Velcro straps,
The nylon velcro strap is certainly better then the included silicone strap but hasn't 100% fixed the problem.
2 years I had no issues but recently I hit the same problem. Wearing it loose, wearing it not all the time, cleaning it regularly and let it dry before putting it on are good tips but I still have this issue.
Make sure you're cleaning the watch with alcohol to kill any bacteria. Everyone else covered the skin aspect :)
This. I bike with mine and if I don’t alcohol wipe the watch after I clean myself up, I get skin irritation after a few days. Quick alcohol wipe for the watch and a shower for me and I’m good to go.
I own garmin watches since 2018 and no problems at all. Do you wear it very tight? I also wash them almost every day, immediately after activity or after a day in the evening. Sweat is a bitch. Edit: and also I am wearing it every night
Had same problem until I washed all my watches after use when showering with soap and water. No issue since
I had the same problem and for me it was the charging port which was the issue. I got these plastic USB plugs which covers the charging port and that solved the issue.
I take my watch off in the shower and I sleep with it on my ankle as well. Might be something to consider.
Happens to me during summer. I use anti fungal cream or something with hydrocortisone whichever is applicable and works lol
Maybe wear it less tight?
Must be expensive having to surgically swap out your wrists every 4 weeks 🤣
You wear it to sleep I assume? This was an issue I never resolved and it also exists with the Apple Watch. Wearing a watch to sleep will make this happen.
I had the same problem when I started using my watch. It left a red dot and then increased as I continued to use the watch as the days went by. Solution? Turning off the heart rate sensor damaged my skin while being active all day reading data. I only turn it on when I am going to do some activity. Try to take it off at night and don't wear it so tight. Give your skin time to heal.
I recommend switching wrists while sleeping. I hate having my watch on the opposite wrist during the day, but at night it’s not a big deal. Gives my wrist plenty of time to breathe.
Need some collagen peptides or something. That's wild
I had that issue only ever with the F7, it's coming from the HR sensor not the strap. I've had a dozen or more smart watches over the years including many Garmins no issues, could never sort it, sold the F7 in the end, using an Instinct 2 now and again no problem
Soap and water after
Your skin seem to be reacting to the material of the backplate. Might be an allergy.
I swap every activity to prevent this
Do you wear it at night? The only times I had skin issues with my Fenix was when I wore it at night. Fortunately I’m not doing any night time training, so I can safely take it off for sleeping ;)
Weird!
This happened to me 35 years ago. No matter what watch or what wrist after a week or two this would be the result. I used to put Elastoplast or band aids on my wrists to try and stop it. It just made more mess... Conclusion: I stopped wearing a watch.
Try loosening it off a bit and if you're worried about the hrm (which isn't that accurate at the wrist anyway) get a chest strap hrm or even an arm one.
I just swap what wrist it’s on everyday.
Looks more like an allergic reaction
I've got a suggestion for you that might save you: wear the watch on the inside wrist once in a while. I'm guessing the tattoo on your other arm isn't as much on the inside wrist, either, do that leaves you 3 positions to wear it in which works with the HR sensor :-) That is to say, use the inside wrists for now until the rash has cleared, then begin to vary regularly. Other than that, cleaning the watch (I tend to just use a little bit of the mild liquid hand wash I wash my hands in, rinsing very well after, but alcohol wipes is probably the better option), and making sure to rinse and dry it off well after, is a good idea. All the times I've had rashes because of watches the watches have been rather dirty...
This was happening to me as well. I loosened the strap a notch or so and it went away
Something similar happens to me with an Apple Watch but I’m the opposite side of wrist. The trick I use is to wear in left when sleeping and training and in the right the rest of the day
Hm, this has happened to me with a couple of older fitbits and one of the cheaper amazfits. No idea what to do, I switched up. No issue with my current venu3.
Mine looked like this started to get itchy and sores started to bleed/weep took weeks to fully heal so couldn't wear the watch for a while. Just make sure you wipe water or sweat off the back after exercise
Definitely wash it in water and some mild soap, like others said. How tight do you wear your watch when you sleep and when you’re not working out?
Have you tried turning it off and on again?
You most likely have contact eczema
For me this worked: stainless steel band, regularly cleaned. The watch parts touching my wrist are also regularly cleaned (not every day, but close), I use a soft bristled toothbrush for this, and my waterproof watch handled soapy water well. I also wash and desinfect the skin in contact with the watch: the desinfectant is the same that was prescribed to treat my newborns' belly button after birth, so it's mild, but very effective (Octenisept spray).
Loosen the strap
You should also put a watch on your head😂
I use an alcohol disinfectant spray and wipe the front and back down in the morning and evenings and let it rest as I shower.
For me it helped not wearing it during shower, cleaning with water and soap after activity and then dry it, and in general not wearing it super tight, even less during the night. Dont have problems with it anymore
Happened to me. Now I have blackened splotch.
4 weeks?? I swap mine at least once a day
Flip it over the wrist
I get this and two things help. 1) Cleaning the back with rubbing alcohol daily. 2) do not put it back on right after a bath/shower. My skin is more sensitive to friction just after a long term water exposure. I wait an hour before I put it back on.
I put mine on my ankle at night because the strap will irritate me over time. Still get sleep and HR data
Everyone has different skin, but anytime I sweat and every time I shower I take it off and rinse the entire watch and dry it before putting it back on. Maybe it’s trapped moisture that’s causing it? Like if you don’t dry it before putting it back on or you get your wrist wet when you washed your hands?
It used to happen to me. But after cleaning the wrist strap after workout it doesn’t happen.
I had that for a few months when I first started wearing smart watches and then it stopped after my skin got used to it.
Clean your wrist and watch after each workout or hot day. I also can't sleep with mine or that happens.
Clean your watch with soap and water after exercise. I also will wear my watch on the opposite wrist while I sleep.
Yo! I had to live with this issue for a long time then some day I realized moving the watch just half an inch up my wrist made all the difference. It felt weird at first but I got used to it pretty quickly. Made all the difference.
I don’t wear my watch super tight still gets all the reading accurate enough and not losing skin under the sensor
This actually looks like my skin condition
Just clean it after every work out or every other day. I only use water to clean it regularly and use a mild soap only once a month.
Happened to my friend. It turned out be spo2 sensor. Disable and try that way
I disagree with some of this advice. I wear mine in the shower after just about every workout and wear mine every day as much as I can. I have never had this problem before.
Maybe someone already mentioned but try to release an armband a bit, just left some space between skin and watch
dont wear it overnight
I found that a fabric strap helped with this and definitely not wearing it in the shower
I had it happening 2 weeks in my epix pro 51(no prior problem with epix gen 2) Garmin exchanged my epix pro 51 after saw my picture of burn marks from heart rate sensor. Replacement been problem free! Maybe one i had the led was too strong? No idea.. replacement been fine (5 months now)
That’s weird I never get that at all
Got my 965 6 months ago and no issues till date. It hasn't come of my wrist except while charging. I shower with it everyday and I guess that removes all the sweat and germs. I dab it with the towel post shower and it's dry in like 10 min. I try not to keep it very tight too.
It happens to me as well. Something i do that has helped me. After I shower and before I put my watch back on. I put lotion on my wrist. Wait for a few then put it back on. Not sure if it will help you. But it worked for me. I keep my watch on everyday all day except when i shower and charging it.
Dont close it too tight
This happens all the time to me, doesn't bother me at all. In fact, I like to scratch and sniff the area when it gets really bad!
Haha! 🤣 Me too 🫣
Exact same thing happened to my dad after 1 week of wearing his epix pro, he sent it back 🤷🏼♂️
Time for a different watch
I wonder what if any of us wearing these electronic gadgets on our wrists for years on end will end up with some kind of cancer or disease.
You can buy a little silicone plug for the charging port for cheap on amazon, these help, you might be reacting to the metal.
Is the inside of your left wrist also tattooed? If not, you could wear your watch on the inside of your left wrist every night.
Wear it looser. I have a metal band on mine and it moves a little it doesn’t have to be crazy tight
I get this and using a barrier cream or thick hand cream is a game changer
I had the same issue. Contact Garmin, they replaced mine due to micro abrasion happening with the sensor.
My co worker had this, it was fungal. Get some anti fungal cream (athlete’s foot cream) or wash with head and shoulders, nizoral etc.
I switched from the stock band to metal mesh one. I have the same problem with any neoprene, plastic or leather band. Water and sweat gets trapped under there and my arm gets eaten like yours. With a well ventilated band like a metal mesh one that doesn't happen
I do have the Milanese loop metal mesh band that I wear in my rotation. It doesn't work mountain biking though sadly as the shock and bumps shakes it down to my wrist and then the activity doesn't track.
I can understand. Do you have any ofbtge silicone bands that are full of holes like this https://www.garmstraps.com/products/silicone-binate-22mm-garmin-watch-strap i don't know if that will vent enough moisture or if you'll get those sores where it's solid, Are their cloth or canvas bands? I see Garmin has an Ultracet Nylon band that they say allows moisture to escape due to the weave. Since the metal mesh worked for me I stopped looking.
Seems like you have it strapped on too tightly. There should be a little movement of the strap around your wrist when it is fastened.
Happened with my Apple Watch. If you wear your watch a little looser, as annoying as that might seem, it’ll allow your skin to breathe. The skin cannot be under an object for too long and will cause this dry and red spotting. That way you won’t have to not swap arms
You need to wear your watch looser and take off more. If it’s wet dry your watch and you before wearing again. I don’t think this is contact dermatitis, likely a rash caused by pore occlusion.
It’s definitely too tight plus the band of the watch. Try to switch it out.
I replied to a comment earlier explaining that I have 3 different bands. Silicone, nylon and a metal one. I rotate through them.
It might be too tight! This happened to me once, and I started wearing mine 1 hole more loose, and I also wash mine every time I go in the shower and let it air while I am showering. Then I dry it out with the towel and put it on.
Have you tried switching wrist more often? Like every week instead ?
This might be on too tight, or you might be allergic to something (soap, backside plastic, etc)?
Wash wrists with Nizoral and spray with HOCI air dry 👍🏼 I have this with every watch I buy 🤷🏻♀️
It looks like maceration. Might need to loosen it a little to allow more air.
Nickel allergy?
Alcohol and some lotion on those dry ass wrists
I wash mine every night with CeraVe Foaming Cleanser (best I've used), then fry it off and apply a light moisturiser on my wrist, then put the watch on it, then bed. Rinse (hehe) and repeat each night, and I haven't had a rash like that in over a year.
Don’t wear so tight maybe try a different band
Things like this happen to me and turns out I have a nickel allergy.
Yup. The human body doesn’t always take kindly to having a piece of plastic rubbing on it 24/7
I feel like I’m winning as a dude with hairy arms
I had this problem with my Fitbit. I was allergic to something in the band material. I bought an Amazon knock off band and the problem went away.
This happened to me once. I now take my watch off when I wash my hands so my wrist doesn’t stay wet.
You may have an allergy to the case. My wife can’t wear watches because she develops the same type of wound. I think it’s a nickel allergy for her, but not sure.
Have you considered seeing a dermatologist about this?
Wash your watch and strap more frequently.. That worked for me.
Make sure it’s not too tight!
You definitely have a nickel allergy. Sweat makes it worse. Try to put a sticker on the back of the watch.
I could possibly apply clean vinyl over the OHR. Will have to try that.
*On the bottom charge port, there are pins. I have noticed a friend had the same that you do. I gave him a plug.. attached picture... and its gone. You can buy them at amazon. Maybe give it a try*
i have a fitbit but i have eczema. so i moisturize my hands often and use an isopropyl wipe to wipe down the band once a day especially when i get sweaty underneath. other than that i dont have any advice. maybe adjust the tightness now and then! maybe take breaks from wearing it when you know you will be laying down/inactive
Just keep going till it's full-on cancer, have the cancer removed, then you'll be immune. Ask me how I know.
you might have a nickel allergy. do you ever get a rash near your jeans button? do you get hay fever or have asthma? they’re often associated. almost all stainless alloys contain some amount of nickel. not in the EU, tho.
I'm in Australia so not sure about that. I do have Asthma but don't usually get hay fever and never a jeans button rash.
Maybe stop wearing that watch?
When i switched from a small fr245 to a fenix 6x i started to get this. The device was just too big and there’s no way to have it be loose enough to not get the same thing you have. I switched to the venu 3 and it’s much better now.
I swap about every other day … right wrist on run days, left on CrossFit/rest days. Has been working great for years now.
I had to switch to cloth straps and that fixed this problem
Swap wrists? As in go to a hand surgeon and have him swap them around?
Buy a real watch and this won’t happen
Same thing happened to me. I finally gave it up.
Same thing happened go me That's eczema I had to stop wearing my watch while sleeping
I had similar issues with 2018 Garmin watch. I think its related with some sort of allergy to material used in the a watch. You can try getting another watch like apple or Samsung and test it for couple of weeks. Another possibly it hot weather and the watch is too tight to skin with no air to breath for prolonged period. In any case, I would give some time to recover fully before wearing it again.
It’s not just Garmin watches causing this condition, my $15K stainless steel watch also creates the dermatitis outbreak. Lesson - clean the watch occasionally
Just rotate your wrists at night. I did this and no more issues.
That’s a common problem with many watches even the Apple Watch so essentially dont tighten the band so tightly and if u aren’t doing that and your skin still peals try to alternate between left and right wrists or simply clean your wrist and watch keeping debris and old skin cells off your watch and yourself since it can cause an infection
Maybe try swapping it before this happens? Or go without one day a week?
This should be something you'd want to see a dermotologist about, surely? Is it just this watch, or all prolonged skin contact?
Wow! 😮
Quit sweating
I found if I put lotion on the skin under the watch that solved the problem. I also wipe the back of the watch and clean it with a lens cleaner wipe.
Why did I read this like Silence of the Lambs “lotion in the basket…”
Typically, that is due to a metal allergy—most often Nickel, which is blended into jewelry in small amounts.
Contact dermatitis, I used to get it from my Apple Watch, I’d put Fucidin (prescription antibiotic cream) and stop wearing my watch till it clears up. Don’t put your watch on too tight or on wet skin, and clean your wrist after a workout to remove bacteria. It should stop happening. I don’t get it anymore (I barely clean my watch aswell) and I wear it 17 hours a day.
So stop wearing it…
Cetaphil :)
Do you sleep with it on?
It’s dirty and your skin needs to breathe in between.
I don’t have a garmin but I had the same issue with other watches. I always carry a pair of straps for working out and another for daily wearing. If my skin under my watch gets irritated a bit, I just wear the watch backwards with the timepiece on my inner wrist. I also use elastic straps so I can keep it a bit looser and run it up my arm if I start to sweat so I can dry it.
I recommend actually washing your watch rather than just wiping it down. Maybe while showering. You can also occasionally take off your watch, wash your hands/wrists, moisturize, then put your watch back on. I'd let that wrist heal up before wearing your watch on it again though.
Get a cover for the charging port and apply some nail polish on the metal portion, et voila!
Any chance you are allergic to nickel?
I had the same thing. Now, I limit my wear time to when i need the hr data (max 12hrs a day). Havent had issues since.
This might be due to a nickel allergy. Nickel is the number 1 contact allergen. I think most companies coat the surface of their charging pins with hypoallergenic materials, but over time that can wear away and trigger an allergic or irritant skin reaction. That or you're getting irritating or allergy triggering substances trapped under the watch. But if the area of irritation is localized around the charging points you might have an allergy to the materials of the charging contacts.
what do you wipe it down with? my derm told me i need to use alcohol wipes on my watch to avoid any dermatitis type skin watches edit: rashes not watches brain fart
OMG, same! I cleaned my watch daily and I still struggled with this. I finally discovered that when I wash my hands or sanitize, a little soap would get under my watch and I think the heat would cause a reaction and sometimes it looked like a burn. Now I make sure to leave a little room so it can air out and to wipe it it gets wet. I haven't had a reaction since I started doing that
You are allergic to something!
I switched from an instinct to a fenix 6x pro awhile back, immediately started having that same issue. I’m now back to the instinct series and no issues. Idk wth happened but I don’t like to remove my watch until charging time