Laptop heat causes severe skin burns in young boy

A young boy in England was treated for severe skin lesions after a laptop caused gradual, painless burns on his abdomen. The boy initially presented with a 15-centimeter grid-like pattern on his stomach that was neither painful nor sensitive to touch.

After being discharged, the patient returned to the emergency room two weeks later as the condition worsened, becoming painful and reaching a state described by doctors as a “breaking point.” The skin appeared in various shades of pink and brown.

Medical professionals eventually determined that the injuries were caused by the boy using a laptop for up to eight hours a day while it was charging. Due to a faulty battery, the device generated significant heat, which he kept in his lap while completing schoolwork. The slow accumulation of heat resulted in severe burns that the patient did not immediately notice due to the lack of initial pain.