Rash from Polar strap

Triathlon Forum
1

Hi there,

I’m a long time Polar user, but only started using the Wearlink belt a couple of months ago. Recently, I have been getting a rash where the contacts sit, even though I have been washing the belt after every time I use it, nowadays using shower gel. Anybody with similar problems and ideas of how to solve them?

Cheers
Jever

2

I have the same problem. In my case the rash is from the rubber-like material around the electrodes. No solution, I just don’t use it anymore.

I also have a have Powertap, which comes with the same strap that Garmin uses I believe. No problem with this one.

3

With the old style strap I also never had problems.

Slightly OT question - do you use the Polar and PowerTap in parallel? I am about to embark on using a PT, but it annoys me that I won’t have my ascent tracked anymore, so I am looking at how I can combine Polar and PT files…

4

Funny you mention this - I have an old style polar strap - never a problem.

Then I wore someone else’s new one for about 4 hours - that was 3 weeks ago.

The rash is still there, itching, itching, driving me MENTAL…

5

Be careful. My friend got a yeast infection from wearing her HR strap. It started as a mild irritation, she continued to wear it, which made it worse.

And yes, the infection was on her chest and no, she wasn’t wearing it in other places. Gross, I know.

6

I haven’t tried to use the Polar and the Powertap in parallel, sorry.

7

Be careful. My friend got a yeast infection from wearing her HR strap. It started as a mild irritation, she continued to wear it, which made it worse.

And yes, the infection was on her chest and no, she wasn’t wearing it in other places. Gross, I know.

Hm. I got it since my room mate’s gf has been around. me wonders… :wink:

What is the way to treat these skin rashes?

8

Good Morning Jever
So you are getting a rash under the breast area, where the contacts are and not under the battery part? Some people think the battery part is the contact.sorry to ask such a simple question, but it helps with trouble shooting from a distance

9

Good Morning Jever
So you are getting a rash under the breast area, where the contacts are and not under the battery part? Some people think the battery part is the contact.sorry to ask such a simple question, but it helps with trouble shooting from a distance

Hello,

thanks for answering. Yes, I am getting two rashes that are exactly where the contact areas are under the nipples. Weird.

10

If that strap has some funky bacteria in it, you should use some bleach to clean it. Soak it in some water with a cap full of bleach mixed in.

11

I was getting that and I noticed that the strap had some small cracks in it that were pinching the skin under them while I was running.

jaretj

12

same here, polar replaced my old strap for a low cost, ever since I get a horrible rash/irritation with new strap.

I put a coating of vaseline and that helps a little

13

Oh yeah, your roomie’s gf could be to blame. (:

My friend ended up going to the dermatologist and got an Rx for it. I’d start out with cortisone cream and see if that helps. If not, I know of people who have used a combo of lotrimin cream. GL!

14

use the garmin strap instead?

15

I had what sounds like an identical issue. Being your typical male, I kept wearing it and now have two nice scars from the open sores that were caused (definitely attractive). Nobody could ever give me a cause (including doctors). Some thought it was from sweat and not washing, but I did wash the strap. Some then thought it was from the detergent. Some thought it was a friction rub.

I treated it with neosporin, fungal cream, and nothing seemed to help.

Ultimately, no true answer. I simply stopped wearing it for 6 months. I got a new strap and have not had any issues. Very odd and sorry you have the same issue (but I am kind of glad someone else had this too).