Buzz
Fitness trackers and smartwatches are meant to stay on your wrist all day and night. You’ll want to keep them on for workouts, tracking sleep, and even for checking stress levels and data throughout your day. However, wearing a tight silicone band constantly can cause your skin to become red or itchy over time. Here are some helpful tips to minimize irritation and advice on what to do if a rash occurs.
Loosen your watch when you're not exercising
Most smartwatch and fitness tracker brands recommend wearing your device loosely during everyday use. For instance, Fitbit suggests that the band should be loose enough to move freely on your wrist and advises to ‘Lower the band on your wrist and loosen it after exercise.’
A loose fit allows air to circulate around your skin as the watch shifts throughout the day. This helps prevent moisture or sweat from getting trapped against your skin.
Brands like Garmin and Apple recommend similar guidelines. When exercising, the watch should be worn tightly above your wrist bone (around an inch or two away from your wrist joint) to ensure a secure contact between the heart rate sensor and your skin. Once your workout ends, loosen the band to a more comfortable fit.
A simple rule is that when you're not exercising, your watch should be able to slide back and forth on your wrist. But during a workout, if you try to move the watch, your skin should move along with it.
Wash the watch band every day
Irritation can occur when sweat, moisture, or substances like soap get trapped against your skin. To avoid this, simply take off the watch and rinse it while you're in the shower.
If you're not in the shower, try to find another moment during the day—perhaps while washing your hands—to remove the watch and ensure it stays clean. Be sure to consult the care instructions that came with your device; some might recommend avoiding soap.
Think about switching to a different band material
Waterproof materials like silicone are often the main offenders when it comes to irritation, likely due to their tendency to trap sweat and moisture against the skin. If you’re dealing with this problem frequently, consider opting for a fabric watch band that offers better breathability. For instance, here’s a five-pack of elastic bands designed for the Fitbit Charge 6. Chances are, there are many third-party band options available for your device, made from a range of materials.
A helpful tip: if you decide on a fabric band, get two. This way, you can still wash one or wear it in the shower or pool, and swap it for a dry one, avoiding the discomfort of wearing a damp band the whole day.
Allow your skin to rest if it’s already irritated
If you've developed a rash, the most crucial step is to stop wearing the watch while your skin heals. If you address the irritation early and take a break from wearing the watch, it will likely clear up faster.
When I experienced some redness and itching from a Garmin strap, I immediately washed the watch and, once it dried, switched it to my other wrist. Sure, it feels strange to wear the watch on the ‘wrong’ wrist, but giving your skin time to recover is important. Alternatively, it’s completely fine to take a break from wearing the watch altogether.
