Mankind is going through a phase of technology and life is speeding up with innovative gadgets and new devices. However, in this race of technological innovation, we often tend to forget that some of gadgets like very popular laptop may pose serious threats towards our health.

Currently, the infectious diseases are controllable across the globe but what about non-communicable diseases? The global scenario is daunting and deadly diseases like cancer is on a rise.  In the UK, increasing number of skin cancer cases with leg infections are being documented. And the White people rather than Black or Asian as more vulnerable to it. It is seen that the people who living in the most deprived area are less exposed to skin cancer.

Scientific explanation:  

Even though UV radiation from the sun is the most likely cause for skin cancer, there are other factors like exposure to ionizing radiation. A recent study has showed that daily use of laptop for four hours for three consecutive days causes the burning of thighs. A laptop is a device that generates harmful heat more than 52 °C, emit more electromagnetic radiations such as non-ionizing radiation and radiofrequency, and discharge ionizes radiation such as X-rays, gamma rays and UV rays.

The generation of heat can cause skin discoloration pinkish-brownish lesion called ‘Laptop Skin’. There are many reports regarding the ‘Toasted Skin Syndrome’ which is due to infrared heat source. The generation of heat can destroy the male fertility as sperm cannot tolerate high temperature and prolong exposure to radiation can cause testicular and ovarian cancers.

There are too many researches that prove the laptop decrease the male fertility. High radiation causes the skin cancer. Electromagnetic field can causes potential harm to fetus if used by pregnant woman. It can delay egg production as well as conceive.

If used before sleeping, laptops reduce the secretion of melatonin resulting in delayed sleep. Back pain might be caused by laptops as users tend to bent forward while using laptop on their lap.  

Recommendation:

However, there is nothing be panicked about. There are lots of simple solutions to the health risks:

the best solution is to get rid of the laptop from lap and putting it on desk or other surface;

avoid placing the laptop directly on skin and to use some sorts of pad between the lap and laptop; use internet only when necessary as internet causes more radiation;

shut down rather than keeping it in hibernation mode to reduce temperature caused by it;

use laptop cooler or laptop heat shield like Defender Pad/HARA pad;

unplug charger when the device is fully charged as a laptop running only by battery emit less radiations;

replace the battery if it cannot hold charge long time.