Excessive use of hot water bottles could not only burn the skin but increase your risk of a deadly cancer, an expert has said
An NHS doctor has issued a warning about using hot water bottles, claiming excessive use could not only burn the skin but increase your risk of a deadly cancer. He urged people to limit use of the popular heat source, as well as other tips for staying safe.
Hot water bottles are a commonly used method of staying warm in the colder months. They also act as relief to people with certain illnesses or injuries such as endometriosis, joint inflammation, and back pain.
However, over reliance on them could come with their own health risks. Doctor Suraj Kukadia, who is best known online as Dr Sooj, took to social media platform TikTok to explain more.
He said: “Do you know what happens if you use a hot water bottle, you could end up with a rash like this?” He revealed that overusing hot water bottles can result in a rash known as erythema ab igne.
This gives the skin the appearance of patchiness or netting. “This is called erythema ab igne, which literally translates to redness from fire,” Dr Sooj continued.
“It happens when your skin is chronically exposed to infrared radiation in the form of heat like using a hot water bottle or a heating pad over and over again in the same spot. Limited heat exposure that isn’t enough to cause a direct burn, causes a mild and temporary red rash, that looks like lace work or a fishing net.”
However, disturbingly, this rash could put you at risk of skin cancer. He said: “But prolonged and repeated exposure causes a marked redness and colouring of the skin. And in some there is even an increased risk of skin cancer.”
His concerns are supported by a medical report published in the Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology Case Reports in 2022. This warned that erythema ab igne has been known to cause types of skin cancer such as squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and Merkel cell carcinoma, and even another type of cancer called cutaneous marginal zone lymphoma.
Medical professionals detailed that these diseases can occur “10 to 30 years” after the onset of erythema ab igne. To protect yourself from erythema ab igne, Dr Sooj offered some advice.
He said: “Remember our skin is not built to handle intense repetitive heat. So make sure you avoid the source of chronic heat exposure, whatever it is, put a fabric cover on your hot water bottle.
“Avoid putting it in the same spots every time and limit use to 20 minutes at a time.” He added: “And if you’re using heat therapy because of chronic pain, please go and see a doctor to get it sorted.”
