[News] Fitbit’s 'Sleep Tracker' False Advertising?

[TyroneShoes]

Junk science, folks desperate for a solution, and false advertising were all made for each other. Just ask Dr. Oz.

If you really want to see the snake oil in action, google fixed indexed annuities.

[Mark Douglas]

What? Doesn't everyone have a 40 foot hose?

"quality of your sleep..." Marketing schleep. Not unlike any other product in the world. The problem is as a society we are too busy trying to screw the other guy into taking responsibility for our own issues that................... oh, that's soap box stuff. So I'll just stay on record as enjoying my cute little fitbit without the necessity of thinking it really is managing my overall health condition. By the way, we just bought Mrs. R_G a Fitbit HR, which in addition to the other cute things reports her heartbeat. She likes that a lot. Me?, I really don't need to know the rate of my heartbeat. Just that it is doing that once in awhile.

I want an Idiocracy chair with cpap attachment so I can sleep w/o interruption.

[2PAPs]

Beware of using Fitbit. There is a theory that perspiration from the person and gases from the charging port are mixing to form an acid, which is burning the skin.

[retired_guy]

Junk science, folks desperate for a solution, and false advertising were all made for each other. Just ask Dr. Oz.

If you really want to see the snake oil in action, google fixed indexed annuities.

Some of us really enjoy our junk science goodies. Others seem content to watch reality shows on tv. So I'll go walk around the house a few times to make my Fitbit happy while you're watching the latest episode of "The Bachelor," or something. That way neither one of us will be accused of doing anything all that dramatic.

Beware of using Fitbit. There is a theory that perspiration from the person and gases from the charging port are mixing to form an acid, which is burning the skin.

Nutz. For this to be true first of all one would have to create perspiration. I try never to do that. Perhaps gases occasionally, but not perspiration.

[Mosquitobait]

Beware of using Fitbit. There is a theory that perspiration from the person and gases from the charging port are mixing to form an acid, which is burning the skin.

I wouldn't worry about it. If it affects anybody, it's probably a rarity or you all would be burned from your watches. Speaking of watches, my grandmother and I were amongst the rare breed that stopped not mechanical watches but digital watches! Had to put padding between watch and skin to create more distance. It comes and goes - for some years, it's a bother and then it went away. One of the docs at the University had an explanation for it (years ago).

[truetopath]

I've had the Fitbit one for years, and I never use the sleep tracker. It wasn't even close for me, so it wasn't worth the hassle. I now use my galaxy watch as my pedometer and such, and it's pretty accurate.

[antdroid]

I believe there was a recall on certain fitbit straps because users complained of rashes from wearing it, but in reality, all they had to do was take it off once in a while and let their skin breathe, and clean the watch as per instructions and it wouldnt have occurred.

[retired_guy]

I believe there was a recall on certain fitbit straps because users complained of rashes from wearing it, but in reality, all they had to do was take it off once in a while and let their skin breathe, and clean the watch as per instructions and it wouldnt have occurred.

One of their trackers was recalled a year or so ago. It was a very real problem. Some people, actually quite a lot of people, are allergic to Nickle. Nickle is alloyed into stainless steels, white gold, and such. Mrs. R_G is one of those that is allergic. In her case anything with Nickle in it will cause a rather bad rash all over her body. It has nothing to do with cleanliness.

Nickle allergy is usually a contact allergy, meaning it only affects the areas of the skin actually in contact. Mrs. R_G's version is a bit nastier.

Her's was one of the trackers that ultimately caused the recall. We've been on the waiting list since then for a new tracker that would not have this same clasp arrangement that contained the Nickle. She finally received her new Fitbit and has been using it for a couple of months now with no problems. It's designed in such a way that no metal contacts the skin, so even if there is an alloy concern it doesn't affect her.

The new trackers do not claim to be "Nickle free," but are designed so that if it's there, it is not a problem. I have a test kit for Nickle that we use on anything she wears because of this issue. I stupidly failed to test her former tracker when she first got it.