The location of your rash determines whether it’s the actual watch or the band that has caused it. If the rash is under the watch face, it’s possible that the sensor light is burning your skin and you should contact the retailer for are fund or exchange. However, if the rash is on the side or inside of your wrist, it’s your band that’s the problem.

Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do to get rid of the rash and fall back in love with your watch.

Change your smartwatch band regularly 

A recent study showed that smartwatch bands were 30 times dirtier than a toilet seat, and the dirtiest piece of household tech. The bacteria found on the tested watches included Staphylococci and Enterobacteriaceae, which can cause a range of illnesses including food poisoning, boils and other skin infections. In extreme cases, they can result in pneumonia and Toxic Shock Syndrome. Since we wear our watches day in, day out, this  news isn’t exactly comforting.

Daniel Clifford from Comparemymobilecommented:

“Whether we’re at our desks, relaxing at home, on the tube or on even the loo, chances are for many of us will be using at least one piece of consumer technology, especially as wearable tech such as smartwatches become more popular.

“Our study really highlights just how dirty our everyday technology can get, in most cases totally invisible to the naked eye. As more people begin to increasingly incorporate tech into their daily lives, such as working from home, it makes it more important than ever to regularly clean your devices.

“Our tests found that smartwatch owners should regularly be cleaning their tech, making sure to clean both the watch face and strap. This is especially true if you use your wearable to track your fitness at the gym or when you run as this can cause them to get particularly dirty.”

It’s a good idea to purchase several washable bands and change them daily, just as you do with socks and underwear. That way, you can be sure that your band hasn’t been gathering bacteria for weeks on end. It’s a bonus for your wardrobe too, since you can coordinate your bands with your outfits.

Clean your smartwatch daily 

Trapped moisture and bacteria are the most likely causes of that pesky smartwatch rash. After exercise, remove your band before taking a shower. Clean and dry both your wrist and your watch before you put it back on, just like you would with any other item of clothing.

Clean your smartwatch band with a mild soap-free cleanser such as Cetaphil orAquanil. A dirty band can also interfere with the sensors in your watch, which gives you even more reason to keep it clean.

Give your wrist a break

Your skin needs to breathe, so let your wrist get some air. Let’s be honest: you don’t really need to wear your smartwatch 24/7. Give your skin a break, even if it’s just for an hour a day as you unwind before bed.

You could also move the band from one wrist to the other from time to time. However, if you do this for long periods of time you might need to tweak the settings. Your smartwatch data is more accurate when it knows whether you’re wearing it on your dominant or non-dominant hand.

Adjust the straps

Wear the band loosely enough so that it can move back and forth on your wrist. You could loosen it when you’re not exercising and then tighten it for increased accuracy when you go for a run or step into the gym.

Be sure to take the band off for twenty minutes each day during periods of inactivity, such as when you’re taking a shower, watching Netflix or napping. Sure, you might miss off a few steps, but your wrist will thank you for it.