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Did my Fenix 5 Optical HRM just burn my skin?! Pics attached

***I already posted this message once today, but then as I was making an edit to my post, it disappeared from the forum. Not sure what happened so I am reposting it. Also, in my original post I attached photos, but due to the file size restrictions of the forum (and maybe some user error on my part), the pictures were just way too tiny to even see. So i have dropped them in an album using Microsoft Onedrive. You can view the full resolution version of the pictures in that album here. https://1drv.ms/a/s!Aq2Z5Oy6o44lpFjCqFbQJSvUiIKA


Original post as follows:


Guys, a very strange thing just happened to me.

I have had my F5 Sapphire for about 3 weeks. I wear it pretty much constantly. The only time I take it off is when I charge it, if i'm switching to a different color band, and sometimes I take it off before I shower.

I have experienced zero problems with burning/irritation...until today.


Here's what happened:

Normally when I take the watch off the green LEDs on the Optical HRM strobe several times and then they turn off.

This time, however, i noticed the green LEDs were just solid...not strobing like they usually do before shutting off. I thought that was strange...I turned the watch off and back on just to see if there was some weird glitch happening but that didn't seem to make any difference (at this point I still hadn't noticed the burn mark on my wrist).

Then I hopped in the shower and that's where I noticed the red spot on my wrist. And then it started itching like crazy.

I have read about skin irritation with these devices before related to people never taking them off, not keeping them clean, not drying off the wrist/watch after getting it wet and then wearing it wet for too long...etc. But the strange behavior of the LEDs on the optical HRM that are accompanying the mark on my wrist makes me think there is something else going on here.


Another weird thing:

The last 4 hours of heart rate data are now completely missing from the watch (see pic). I have had the watch off for maybe an hour at this point so the data should definitely be there. The data is still there in Garmin Connect but it has vanished from the watch. I can still see my steps and last activity details on the watch, but no heart rate history.

In summary: It seems there was a glitch with the optical HRM that caused the LED's to be on constantly, rather than flickering, and the intensity of the light burned my skin.


Is anyone else having issues today??
  • I started to look at your images, but OneDrive wanted a password from me and I'm not going to do that just to look at them.

    The light from the LEDs couldn't possibly have burned you, but I guess if the watch got hot enough from them dissipating power fast enough then that could. But you'd have noticed that. They're green, there's no uv content, it's not like they could give you sunburn. It would burn like a cigarette end. I doubt that even that would be possible. They're not very high power and the watch wouldn't get that hot. I think it's coincidence that it's irritated your skin at the same time.
    Might be worth turning the watch off and on again to see if the LEDs behave again.
  • "I started to look at your images, but OneDrive wanted a password from me and I'm not going to do that just to look at them."

    Well that's annoying! Sorry about that, I didn't realize Microsoft would try to force you to create an account just to see the pictures.

    I'm attempting to repost the images here, but for some reason i can't get them any larger - but you can still kind of see.


    Maybe you're right about it being a coincidence...but if so that's a really crazy coincidence that the LEDs started glitching at the same time I developed a rash. Still makes me wonder.ciq.forums.garmin.com/.../1238372.jpg
  • I've never had/have such problems - using my F5 24/7 with OHR reading. I think its not a problem caused by the OHR or the LED - for me it looks like a skin disease caused from sweating... just ask a dermatologist...
  • On the pictures it looks like you have shaved a part of your arm. Have you shaved your arm befor or after you noticed the irritation. Could be related to the shave.
  • Could be an allergic reaction as well. Not sure what metal is used for that area but who knows.
  • Another weird thing:

    The last 4 hours of heart rate data are now completely missing from the watch (see pic). I have had the watch off for maybe an hour at this point so the data should definitely be there. The data is still there in Garmin Connect but it has vanished from the watch. I can still see my steps and last activity details on the watch, but no heart rate history.


    If you turn the f5 off and back on again, the 4-hour history of HR is lost. The actual data is still stored and gets synced to Garmin Connect, it's just you lose the 4hr graph data.

  • Ah, good to know thank you.

    I am starting to agree with you all that it was unrelated to the LEDs and most likely some reaction to me not doing a good enough job keeping it clean and dry under there.



    I have also been able to identify some specific watch functions that cause the LEDs to go from blinking/strobing to solid.

    I may post a new thread about this specific topic but since it's also related to what we've been talking about I might as well ask you guys here as well.


    Would a few of you mind answering 3 quick questions about your F5? (these will involve you taking a peak at the LED's while wearing the watch):

    1) Are the LEDs on your optical HRM in blink/strobe mode when you're just in normal smart watch mode? (mine are)
    2) If you scroll to the Heart Rate Widget (the one that shows you the graph of the past 4 hours for your HR - use the down button on the bottom left of the watch to get there), do your LEDs go from blinking green to solid green? (mine do)
    3) When you start an activity using one of the watch functions (run/bike/whatever) are the green LEDs solid or blinking? (mine are solid - and they stay solid during the activity)

    Why does it matter? I previously mentioned a glitch with the LED lights on my optical HRM, whereby they were solid green instead of blinking (I assumed they were supposed to always be blinking). I have since identified repeatable actions that cause the LEDs to go solid...so maybe the watch is intended to function this way and there's no glitch after all.

    I am just curious if other people can help me confirm that their watches work the same way.

    Thanks everyone, you all have been really helpful.

  • It looks like a rash. Try to keep it clean from debris or saw dust or something like this, also clean the watch and skin regular. Stop shaving unless you are a bear or a wulf. Wetness isn't a problem, only things creating more friction.

    1. yes
    2. yes
    3. solid

    Your watch behaves like it should.
  • When you are not doing an activity or looking at the Heart Rate Widget the LED will blink as they are sampling. This is to preserve battery and will provide you with all day HR, it does not record every beat and it is just to give you a general picture. When you do start an activity that uses HR and you are not wearing a belt or you watch the Heart Rate Widget it will go solid and monitor every beat.