Fitbit Force Resulting In Rash And Sores For Some Wearers

Fitbit Force, a fitness tracker released late last year and soon to have a caller ID functionality, has been causing a rash and sores in some users — in some cases, quite large ones. Reports from affected users began cropping up on the company's forums and other places across the Web, and the cause seems to have been narrowed down to an allergic reaction that can be caused by skin contact with materials near the charging port.

Instances of user reactions have been surfacing for some weeks now, in some cases being documented with photographs. One user in particular, Kevin, submitted a couple pictures and his story to the folks over at The Consumerist, saying the sore on his wrist surfaced under the area near the battery after about a month of wearing the wristband.

He documented the spot with some pictures, and when it continued to grow, he swapped the wristband to his other wrist, perhaps thinking it was a fluke. The spot began to develop on that wrist, as well, and so he then went to the doctor and was told the spot was contact dermatitis, an allergic reaction to the wristband. Other users have reported the same problems, and many of them have also experienced fairly severe-looking rashes and sores.

Some reasons the company has indicated could be the cause of the reactions is sensitivities to the material used with the battery and charging port or the elastomer material, as well as the possibility of bacteria becoming trapped in the charging port. The company issued a statement acknowledging the problem, explaining its use of materials and saying it will replace or refund the Force for those who have an allergy to it.

VIA: GigaOm

SOURCE: The Consumerist