Sep 13, 2026 06:04 PM
https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/09/b...every-day/
EXCERPT: Two weeks later, the boy was back in the hospital, and the marks were worse. They were bigger, darker, and tender. There were patches of pink, and some of his skin was visibly breaking down. A picture of the marks is here.
Based on the appearance, the doctors started reconsidering some sort of bruising and started asking him more questions. This is when he mentioned that he was homeschooled and used a laptop for his schoolwork. He said he typically did his work by resting his laptop on his abdomen while he worked, sometimes for up to eight hours a day, and often while the laptop was charging. Then they understood what it was.
The doctors diagnosed the boy with erythema ab igne (EAI), which translates from Latin as “redness from fire” and is also sometimes called “toasted skin syndrome.” This is a skin condition caused by repeated, prolonged exposure to low-grade heat—heat not hot enough to cause actual burns. It’s most often seen in adults, and common causes include using heating pads or hot water bottles for chronic pain or sitting too close to space heaters. Some people also develop it from certain occupational hazards, like glassblowing and metal work. EAI produces a lace-like rash, just like the boy’s.
It’s unclear how EAI develops exactly. But researchers hypothesize that chronic heat exposure leads to damage to superficial blood vessels and the release of red blood cells, forming the tell-tale red reticulated pattern.
While the boy’s condition looked ominous, the good news is that EAI is generally benign and reversible—once you remove the heat source. For severe or long-term conditions, some pigmentation and scarring can remain. But the boy’s parents checked back in over several months, reporting that the rash faded and then completely resolved. Hopefully, he also got some sort of laptop stand. (MORE - missing details)
EXCERPT: Two weeks later, the boy was back in the hospital, and the marks were worse. They were bigger, darker, and tender. There were patches of pink, and some of his skin was visibly breaking down. A picture of the marks is here.
Based on the appearance, the doctors started reconsidering some sort of bruising and started asking him more questions. This is when he mentioned that he was homeschooled and used a laptop for his schoolwork. He said he typically did his work by resting his laptop on his abdomen while he worked, sometimes for up to eight hours a day, and often while the laptop was charging. Then they understood what it was.
The doctors diagnosed the boy with erythema ab igne (EAI), which translates from Latin as “redness from fire” and is also sometimes called “toasted skin syndrome.” This is a skin condition caused by repeated, prolonged exposure to low-grade heat—heat not hot enough to cause actual burns. It’s most often seen in adults, and common causes include using heating pads or hot water bottles for chronic pain or sitting too close to space heaters. Some people also develop it from certain occupational hazards, like glassblowing and metal work. EAI produces a lace-like rash, just like the boy’s.
It’s unclear how EAI develops exactly. But researchers hypothesize that chronic heat exposure leads to damage to superficial blood vessels and the release of red blood cells, forming the tell-tale red reticulated pattern.
While the boy’s condition looked ominous, the good news is that EAI is generally benign and reversible—once you remove the heat source. For severe or long-term conditions, some pigmentation and scarring can remain. But the boy’s parents checked back in over several months, reporting that the rash faded and then completely resolved. Hopefully, he also got some sort of laptop stand. (MORE - missing details)
