A new scourge threatens a generation of laptop users. “Toasted Skin Sydrome” is the result of having a hot laptop pressed to your skin for hundreds of hours. You say, “sure Devin but can’t they just put a pillow under it?” but I say, “Call the lawyers, we’re suing Blizzard and Dell for gross negligence.”
The Latin name for the syndrome is erythema ab igne, and it’s getting some attention today because the latest sufferer is only 12. This really brings up a couple things.
First, where are the parents?! This kid has a hot laptop on his legs for enough hours a day to cause a rare disorder; don’t you think they might have objected, or at least had the common sense to say “hey, maybe you should have something between your legs and that burning-hot machine?” But no.
Second, it’s interesting that it’s such a young kid — the idea that a 12-year-old spent so much time on a computer is indicative of the huge cultural change the world is going through. The crispy leg is also perhaps a suitable metaphor for the other dangers of overexposure to computers.
The lesson here is really just to take things off your skin when they feel hot; more to the purpose, though, most laptops hover between 110 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit, so it’s always worthwhile to get a mat or pillow under there, or just work on a table.
