Are the green lights bad for you?

[HillBunny]

I've just got mt Fitbit Charge2 and realised the green lights are constantly on. I had a different Fitbit before that didn't have this feature. 

Could this constant light be bad for you? Can you turn them off? I presume it's to monitor heart rate but does it do anything else?

i'd appreciate your thoughts.

[Esya]

They are used to read your heart rate. You can disable this. If you go into your account and then select Charge 2 you should find "Heart Rate" in the list of settings you can change.

[SteveH · Accepted solution]

As you suggest the green lights are used to detect your heart rate. You can turn them off but this would mean your heart rate would not be tracked. The setting can be found in your device settings at https://www.fitbit.com/settings/device

However, they are just flashing lights. Fitbit say:

"Allergy to visible light is extremely rare and the PurePulse LED lights are on the visible spectrum, similar to the lights in your home or office. The LED lights have very low power so they won't burn your skin, and they're programmed to shut down if your device freezes or can't find a signal. If epilepsy or any other condition makes you sensitive to flashing lights, you can turn the LEDs off."

taken from: https://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/1565/

[HillBunny]

Thanks both. That's put my mind at ease and given me some options. 

Brilliant!

[Rich_Laue]

The few people that are allergic to light, it is the ultraviolet light that reacts with the skin. LED lights are the only type of lighting they can be around, since they do not give off ultraviolet waves.

Without these waves your skin will never tan.

[Dino.T]

I have been wearing my new Ionic on without much issue since i had it two weeks back. However, it burned a little red mark on my wrist at where the green light was in contact with my skin. I was playing badminton with Ionic on. My arms and body started to become sweaty after a few games. I noticed minor irritation on my skin exactly under where the green light shines on my wrist. So i took the Fitbit off and noticed a red burn mark left on my wrist. It may an allergy with a combination of sweat and green light effect. It really burned a red mark and irritated me before i took the Ionic off my wrist.  This can't be right!

[Rich_Laue]

In theory it is safer then the standard light bulb or fluorescent which gives off ultraviolet rays. 

The LED's only give off visible light and is the only light that is safe for those that react to sunlight 

[Ddfisch]

I had been wearing the Fitbit for 6 months, cleaning it when I charged it, but in October I noticed a red spot like a small burn underneath the light. I stopped wearing il and 8 weeks later there is still a raised bump on my skin. I want the benefit of wearing the Fitbit, to monitor heart rate and sleep patterns but do not like that it is affecting my skin.

[Dino.T]

I agree! I do feel that Fitbit should respond to this concern than just sending us to their service for Ionic replacement. It is a valid health concern that they should address. 

[Communityyay]

They are bad for you it is true!!!

[Rich_Laue]

The green leds only put out visible light. There is no ultraviolet light, which makes them safer then the sun or your common filament lightbulb. Led light is also the only light safe for someone who has polymorphic light eruption where even being under a light bulb will cause the skin to blister. 

[Dana-C]

I'm not a troll.  I got a red spot from my fitbit too, so I put it on my other wrist.  So far, no spot.

[CDMcD]

I also get a red, itchy spot. Since I'm allergic to nickel, I was assuming there was nickel near the lights. Now that I look at it, I don't see any metal that would touch my skin.

[MB2204]

I also noticed irritation on my skin. Now I wear my fitbit more loose and no problems now (it was like half a year back or so). Wear your fitbit on your other wrist until your wrist gets better. Also, clean your fitbit after each workout you have done or if you've sweat a lot.

That are the things that helped me. I never got anything from the light though.

[DreamResonance]

I’m one of those people with the rare “allergy” to visible light.  Mine is called porphyria and it includes the blue visible spectrum in addition to all UV. 

That said, the green HR light on my Charge 2 was one of the last things I had to remove, after all sunlight, all fluorescent light, and all “daylight” bulbs (anything higher than the extra warm white of 2700k is a problem for me).  I’m really glad it was so easy to turn off when I figured out it was responsible for some of my residual issues (I don’t get the obvious blistering that some porphyrias get so it took a while to figure out.)

[Gabriel108]

Just bought the InspireHR. Loved it’s size, look, feel. However, Green lights zapping 24/7 into my skin is a no go for me. You can turn the the monitor off but the light lances on, 24/7???  Fitbit needs to allow the user to shut that zapper down.  Inspire HR is going back (thanks Amazon Prime!) and I’m lugging out my Garmin fendix 5 (which weighs about 10 pounds BUT allows the user to shut the green light off) until I find another suitable tracker more agile, sleek and green light friendly. 

[Rich_Laue]

Considering that LEDs like what is on the Fitbit Trackers are considered the only light safe for those that can not be exposed to sunlight,  or to your common light bulb and fluorescent light. 

Yes the led lights on the tracker are safer than that lightbulb in that light fixture in your house. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sun-allergy/symptoms-causes/syc-20378077

For more info see 

[Suziwillpower1]

I have started wearing Fitbit and the green lights have left a burn mark on my skin/

[Rich_Laue]

These lights are one of the safest light waves being almost all visible light. 

However certain drugs, creams, even some food could cause skin sensitivity to light. 

Also built up bacteria from sweat can be an issue. 

Experiencing skin discomfort, irritation or wrist/... 

[DreamResonance]

If you are getting blisters from green light, you should talk to your
doctor. You may have a medical condition such as porphyria.