We know it’s cold up there in the wintry north in Minnesota, but be careful you’re not cozying up to your heated car seats or laptop batteries in excess, warns a local news story. You could end up with something called “Toasted Skin Syndrome.” Eww.

Far less delightful than say, a toasted pastry or an English muffin, WCCO News in Minneapolis says toasted skin occurs when drivers leave seat heaters on for long car trips or even rest hot laptop batteries on their legs for a continued stretch of time.

They cite doctors who explain it’s not an actual burn, but a rash from prolonged exposure to warm temperatures.

Said one dermatologist:

“We’re seeing it now are in the lower back (and on the bottom) from people using seat warmers in their cars; we’ll see it on the lap area… from people setting lap tops on their laps.”

If you’re not careful, warns the report, you could end up with a permanent tint to your skin. A toasty one.

Seat Warmers Can Cause ‘Toasted Skin’ Rash, Scarring [WCCO News]

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