![Phone on the bedside every night... "Dangerous if you don't remove it immediately" warning, why? [Healthy Time] - Seoul Economic Daily Culture News from South Korea](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.sedaily.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2026%2F02%2F25%2Fnews-p.v1.20260224.654cf22af1364ea8833e5fde78089ff7_P1.jpg&w=3840&q=75 "Charging Phones in Bed Cause Severe Burns, Korean Doctors Warn")
Cases of serious burns caused by everyday smartphone chargers and portable batteries have been reported by Korean medical researchers.
According to a study published in the journal Cureus on the 21st, dermatologists from Yonsei University College of Medicine and other Korean medical professionals treated two male patients who suffered burns from contact with charging electronic devices and officially reported the cases in the academic journal.
A 55-year-old man sustained burns when his charging smartphone fell onto his face, with the area near the charging port touching his cheek. Despite brief contact, gray spots and a burning sensation appeared on his right cheek the following day. Tissue examination revealed severe thermal damage, including microvascular thrombosis in the dermis and red blood cell aggregation. He recovered within two weeks after undergoing debridement surgery.
A 38-year-old man visited the hospital with palm-sized gray spots and blisters on his left ankle. The cause was falling asleep with a charging portable battery placed under his leg. The case demonstrated that low-temperature thermal contact burns can occur from elevated device surface temperatures alone, without explosion or electric shock. He fully recovered after approximately two months of combined debridement surgery and antibiotic treatment.
The medical team emphasized that these cases are not limited to specific brands or products with exposed metal terminals. Regardless of charger design, portable batteries can also cause burns when overheated devices contact skin for extended periods.
"Burns from electronic devices can present with more subtle symptoms compared to flame or scald burns," the medical team said. "When unexplained gray spots, blisters, or pain occur, electronic device usage should also be investigated."
Experts recommend keeping charging devices away from bedding or close body contact during sleep, as heat and pain sensations are difficult to perceive immediately while sleeping.