--- description: Give yourself some space title: What Fitbit Says You Should Do If You Get a Fitbit Rash image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf0f757f49d5ed6dd/69877d3dcd6848c0720997ba/surgelifestyle7.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Business](/section/business/) ## Business Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Tech](/tag/time-section-tech/) ## Tech Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # What Fitbit Says You Should Do If You Get a Fitbit Rash ## Video: TIME Tech Review: FitBit Surge [Watch (HLS stream): TIME Tech Review: FitBit Surge](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/6EmaVmsb.m3u8) (1:12)  _Published 2015-02-04. Time's Deputy Tech Editor, Alex Fitzpatrick, reviews the FitBit's new wearable, Surge_ by [Sam Frizell](/author/sam-frizell/) ## Sam Frizell Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 12, 2015 3:56 PM CUT  Fitbit Surge Fitbit SurgeFitbit by [Sam Frizell](/author/sam-frizell/) ## Sam Frizell Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 12, 2015 3:56 PM CUT Fitbit’s advice for the so-called Fitbit Rash: take it off. After reports of rash from wearing the Fitbit band, the company has responded by saying that the best strategy is probably to take the wearable off for a few days. A Fitbit spokesperson said the rashes “are likely from wearing the band too tight; sweat, water, or soap being held against the skin under the device; or from pressure or friction against the skin,” [Re/code reports](http://recode.net/2015/02/11/fitbit-advises-rash-sufferers-to-take-a-break-from-wearing-the-wearable/ "undefined"). Any sign of a rash will “ resolve quickly when users take a break from the device, usually within hours or days.” Fitbit’s recommendation comes after a number of complaints that its newest metric-tracking wristband is causing skin irritations. More than 200 instances of new Fitbit rash complaints have been made on social media, [ABC7 reported Wednesday](http://abc7news.com/technology/7-on-your-side-rash-problem-remains-with-new-fitbit-trackers/512434/ "undefined"). Taking off the Fitbit because of a rash undermines the purpose of the device, because it’s designed to track your steps and sleep continuously. But it may be a problem for all wearables: Jawbone UP users have also complained about rashes. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3707046/what-fitbit-says-you-should-do-if-you-get-a-fitbit-rash/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3707046/what-fitbit-says-you-should-do-if-you-get-a-fitbit-rash/"},"headline":"What Fitbit Says You Should Do If You Get a Fitbit Rash","datePublished":"2015-02-12T15:56:45.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T08:04:24.857Z","description":"Give yourself some space","url":"https://time.com/3707046/what-fitbit-says-you-should-do-if-you-get-a-fitbit-rash/","keywords":["Tech","Gadgets"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf0f757f49d5ed6dd/69877d3dcd6848c0720997ba/surgelifestyle7.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Sam Frizell","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/sam-frizell/"}],"articleSection":"Business","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf0f757f49d5ed6dd/69877d3dcd6848c0720997ba/surgelifestyle7.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Fitbit Surge","caption":"Fitbit Surge","creditText":"Fitbit","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/business/","name":"Business"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-tech/","name":"Tech"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3707046/what-fitbit-says-you-should-do-if-you-get-a-fitbit-rash/","name":"What Fitbit Says You Should Do If You Get a Fitbit Rash"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"TIME Tech Review: FitBit Surge","description":"Time's Deputy Tech Editor, Alex Fitzpatrick, reviews the FitBit's new wearable, Surge","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/6EmaVmsb/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-02-04T20:02:16.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/6EmaVmsb.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3707046/what-fitbit-says-you-should-do-if-you-get-a-fitbit-rash/","duration":"PT1M12S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3707046/what-fitbit-says-you-should-do-if-you-get-a-fitbit-rash/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```