Study finds high levels of forever chemicals in smart watch bands

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — There aren’t too many wrists out there without one.

Smart watches are as part of our technology and fashion landscape as cell phones and athletic shoes these days. The devices do everything from track your daily fitness to tracking your sleep at night.

A new study published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters shows that smart watch bands may expose the skin to ‘forever chemicals.’

The study shows that more expensive bands made from fluorinated synthetic rubber contain high amounts of a forever chemical called perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA).

The chemical is good at repelling water, sweat and oil, but also seem to last forever in the environment. Manufacturers use these kind of chemicals in things like stain-resistant bedding, menstrual products and fitness gear. That includes smart watches and fitness tracker wristbands.

“This discovery stands out because of the very high concentrations of one type of forever chemical found in items that are in prolonged contact with our skin,” said Graham Peaslee, the author of the study.

The team behind the study investigated several watchbands for the presence of several different forever chemicals. They screened 22 wristbands from a wide range of brands and prices and found that the bands that cost more than $30 contained more of the forever chemical than those that cost under $15.

According to the study, scientists do not currently know how PFHxA transfers into the skin or the health effects it poses. However, Peaslee said studies suggest a significant amount could pass through the skin.

The study recommends that consumers purchase lower-cost wristbands made from silicone.

“This discovery stands out because of the very high concentrations of one type of forever chemical found in items that are in prolonged contact with our skin,” says Graham Peaslee, the corresponding author of the study” said Alyssa Wicks, the lead author of the study.