While we are more or less familiar with the fact that Fitbit went through some rather rough patches earlier this year, having been hit with a lawsuit concerning the skin rashes that affected Fitbit Charge wearers, it seems that Fitbit CEO and co-founder James Park claims that the skin rashes arose from bad habits and improper hygiene. Park shared, “We have conducted extensive testing with laboratories and consulted with top dermatologists to develop stringent standards so that users can safely wear and enjoy Charge.” That is more or less saying a whole lot without mentioning much.
Park continued, “The reactions we are seeing with Charge are not uncommon with jewelry or wearable devices that stay in contact with the skin for extended periods.” Fitbit has recommended owners of the Charge to keep it clean and dry, and not to wear it too tightly around your wrist so that your skin can have a breather between intervals. At this point in time, it does seem as though whatever reported issues there were concerning the new Charge tracker have been at a minimal, and had absolutely nothing to do with the choice of materials used. Still, this is a rather interesting development, and hopefully better days are ahead for Fitbit.