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The hidden dangers of your heated blanket revealed as doctor warns of irreversible ‘redness from fire’ rash
AS the weather turns cold and wintry, many people may be looking to warm comforts like electric blankets to make their home extra cosy.
But keeping warm with one this winter could have ramifications for your health, a doctor has warned.
As well as keeping you warm, heated blankets offer many other benefits, including improved sleep – they can help you progress through the stages of sleep by keeping your body at a consistent temperature.
They may also offer pain relief – the gentle warmth of an electric blanket can help with arthritis, sciatica, and frozen shoulder.
And they could even save you money on your energy bills as they’re more efficient than central heating because they only use enough energy to keep you warm.
But Dr Heather Kornmehl, a Texas-based dermatologist, has warned heated blankets may have some negatives, as they can cause an irreversible rash known as erythema ab igne.
Erythema ab igne is Latin for ‘redness from fire’ and is also known as toasted skin syndrome.
As the names suggests, it’s a skin condition caused by long-term exposure to heat or infrared radiation.
Symptoms include a net-like pattern of redness and hyperpigmentation, a mild itch or burning sensation and thinning skin.
It can happen to anyone exposed to chronic low-level heat, such as using electric blankets, hot water bottles, heated car seats, and resting a laptop on your legs.
The heat damages the skin’s surface and blood vessels, causing them to expand and become inflamed.
This leads to redness and over time the deposition of chemicals like hemosiderin (a brown molecule that carries iron) and melanin (the dark-coloured molecule that plays a role in skin, hair, and eye colour), turning your skin a reddish-brown.
The skin damage can lead to changes in skin thickness or blistering, and can be permanent.
Addressing her 106,000 followers on TikTok, Dr Kornmehl said: “With the cold weather coming our way, we need to be careful about repeatedly applying prolonged heat to our skin.”
She added: “When I tell my patients not to leave heated blankets or heating pads on your skin or sit next to heaters for prolonged periods of time repeatedly because this can cause a rash known as erythema ab igne which can lead to permanent pigmentary changes in the skin.”
How to treat erythema ab igne
Experts say the first-line of treatment for erythema ab igne is to stop exposure to the offending heat source.
The hyperpigmentation may start to fade slowly, but it can take several years.
If you use an electric blanket, it’s advised you use it on the lowest heat setting and limit how long you use it.
For those wanting to use a hot water bottle, wrap it in a towel to prevent direct contact with your skin.
And if you use a laptop on your lap, use a lap desk as a buffer between the laptop and your skin.
Complications of erythema ab igne
In rare cases, the rash can lead to the development of skin cancers, such as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) or Merkel cell carcinoma.
This can happen decades after the rash first appears.
The National Institutes of Health says if lesions of erythema ab igne continue to evolve or ulcerate, a biopsy should be performed to check for cancer.
Erythema ab igne in studies
A paper published in the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine looked at one severe case of erythema ab igne in a 42-year-old man.
He had been consistently using a heating pad for “several hours at a time” to deal with chronic back pain linked to his labour intensive job.
After a physical examination, doctors found a large, hyperpigmented, dark brown, mottled patch spread over his back.
While it wasn’t painful or itchy, he confirmed the area of hyperpigmentation was the area he used the heating pad on, and a diagnosis of erythema ab igne was made.
The paper’s authors said the condition is “uncommon” and hot water bottles and heating pads are common culprits.
Advice for keeping warm
Keeping warm over the winter months can help to prevent colds, flu and more serious health problems such as heart attacks, strokes, pneumonia and depression.
As well as heating your home to at least 18C, particularly in the rooms that you regularly use, you should keep your bedroom windows closed at night.
You should also make sure you’re getting all the help that you’re entitled to.
There are grants, benefits and advice available to make your home more energy efficient, improve your heating or help with bills.
Remember that other people, such as older neighbours, friends and family members, may need some extra help over the winter.
Keep in touch with your friends, neighbours and family and ask if they need any practical help, or if they’re feeling unwell.
Make sure they’re stocked up with enough food supplies for a few days, in case they cannot go out.
If they do need to go out in the cold, encourage them to wear shoes with a good grip and a scarf around the mouth to protect them from cold air, and to reduce their risk of chest infections.
Also, make sure they get any prescription medicines before the holiday period starts and if bad weather is forecast.
Some cheap tricks to stay warm at home while keeping costs down include:
- Warm your body not your house – so wear lots of layers made from insulating materials like wool
- Or if need to, just heat one room and stay there as much as you can during the day
- Avoid alcohol – it prevents your blood vessels from constricting, so you lose body heat
- Move around as much as you can – sitting still for long periods reduces circulation
- Open your curtains – the sun still provides warmth, even if it’s cold outside
- Use a draught excluder – line your windows with rubber seals and use DIY excluder at the bottom of your doors
- Move your sofa away from external walls – sitting with your back against an internal wall will instantly feel a lot warmer
- Fit tin foil behind your radiator – it will reflect heat back into the room
- Bleed your radiators – air could be trapped inside, creating cold spots
Nationwide is making a huge change to credit card rules in months affecting millions of customers
NATIONWIDE will make some major changes to its credit card rules in the coming months.
The nation’s largest building society, serving approximately 17 million customers, will soon prohibit all account holders from using their credit cards for gambling.
Nationwide will also prevent customers from using these cards to purchase cryptocurrencies.
The changes affecting personal and business credit cards will take effect from February 3, 2025.
This decision to block such transactions follows the Gambling Commission’s introduction of strict gambling regulations four years ago.
Since April 14, 2020, all UK-licensed gambling operators have been banned from accepting credit cards for gambling.
This ban encompasses online betting, casino and bingo companies, as well as high street bookmakers and track bookmakers.
Nationwide’s new policy will serve as an additional safeguard, ensuring that no customer can use their credit card for gambling, even if a gambling firm were to ignore or violate the rules.
The new credit card blocking service will identify transactions containing merchant category codes (MCCs) associated with gambling.
The lender can then block these transactions before the money is transferred.
This block will apply to all online and bookmaker gambling, but it will not affect those wishing to buy lottery tickets or scratch cards in-store with their credit card.
However, it will also block any attempted transactions made to online gambling sites abroad.
What are the signs of a gambling addiction?
THE signs of a gambling problem are often the same as the signs of other addictions. Common signs of addiction include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Feeling the need to be secretive about gambling,
- Having trouble controlling gambling habits,
- Gambling when you cannot afford to,
- Your friends and family express concern about your gambling.
As with any other addiction, the hallmark sign of a gambling problem is that you feel you cannot stop.
If you feel like you need to try just one more time, or if you feel anxious when you think about quitting, it is highly likely you are suffering from a gambling addiction.
Excessive gambling often causes a multitude of emotional symptoms, including anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts and tendencies.
If you need support, you can call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.
Barclays, First Direct, and HSBC have already introduced similar credit card blocks to their customers.
Before the ban on gambling firms accepting credit cards, most banks permitted the practice.
However, customers were often charged hefty additional fees on top of their usual interest rates.
Any interest charged would also have been applied as soon as the funds left your account.
CRYPTO BAN
Lloyds Banking Group, which includes Bank of Scotland, Halifax, Lloyds Bank, and MBNA, was the first major UK financial institution to ban credit cardholders from purchasing cryptocurrency with their cards back in 2018.
Virgin Money soon followed suit, and HSBC introduced a similar ban in February 2023.
Nationwide will implement the same restriction on February 3, 2025.
This means customers will no longer be able to use their credit cards to purchase digital currency on trading platforms such as Coinbase, eToro, and Uphold.
Bitcoin is a type of cryptocurrency, essentially digital money, which can be exchanged for goods and services.
They work using a technology called blockchain.
Blockchain is a decentralised technology spread across computers that manages and records transactions.
While there are various ways to invest in it, one of the most common methods is through an exchange – a platform where traders buy and sell Bitcoin using different currencies.
However, digital currencies are largely unregulated in the UK, making it highly unlikely that the Financial Services Compensation Scheme will cover any crypto-related losses. Therefore, investors should not expect any form of compensation for such losses.
The five risks of crypto investments
THE Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned people about the risks of investing in cryptocurrencies.
- Consumer protection: Some investments advertising high returns based on cryptoassets may not be subject to regulation beyond anti-money laundering requirements.
- Price volatility: Significant price volatility in cryptoassets, combined with the inherent difficulties of valuing cryptoassets reliably, places consumers at a high risk of losses.
- Product complexity: The complexity of some products and services relating to cryptoassets can make it hard for consumers to understand the risks. There is no guarantee that cryptoassets can be converted back into cash. Converting a cryptoasset back to cash depends on demand and supply existing in the market.
- Charges and fees: Consumers should consider the impact of fees and charges on their investment which may be more than those for regulated investment products.
- Marketing materials: Firms may overstate the returns of products or understate the risks involved.
Hit thriller starring Helen Mirren branded ‘outrageous and irresistible’ added to BBC iPlayer for the first time
HELEN Mirren and Ian McKellen’s captivating London based thriller The Good Liar is now available to stream on BBC iPlayer for the very first time.
Based on Nicholas Searle’s novel, The Good Liar sees Sir Ian star as seasoned con artist Roy Courtnay.
He sets his sights on wealthy widow Betty McLeish, played by Helen, after meeting her through an online dating site.
As Betty appears to fall for his charms, her skeptical son Steven grows suspicious of Roy’s intentions.
The film originally aired on BBC One on November 19 and will remain on BBC iPlayer for the next 29 days.
For who prefer to use a different platform, the thriller is also available to stream on Netflix in the UK and Ireland.
The Good Liar was directed by Bill Condon – who previously worked with Ian McKellen on Mr Holmes.
It also boasts an impressive supporting cast, including Jim Carter, Lucian Msamati, Céline Buckens, and Phil Dunster.
When the film was first released in 2019, Helen shared how excited she was to finally work on a project for the screen with Ian, after their previous collaboration on Broadway.
This was part of what influenced her to join the cast of the film, as she told Entertainment Weekly: “It was a combination of my costar Ian McKellen and of course the director, Bill Condon.
“It’s a very interesting script, a wonderful, twisty thriller that I thought would be fun to do.”
Helen also highlighted the unique storyline, adding: “It’s nice to do a film about old people that’s not about Alzheimer’s or cancer, if you know what I mean.”
The Good Liar received praise for its gripping performances and unexpected twists, with critics calling it “outrageous and irresistible”.
Peter Bradshaw raved about it in his review for the Guardian, saying: “This movie rattles along with terrific energy and dash and the flashback sequences show that it’s actually far more daring and ambitious that you might expect.
“It’s a great duel between McKellen and Mirren.”
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