The ‘rotting’ summer wrist condition that keeps being mistaken for tan lines

A recent social media trend, where smartwatch users share the tan lines left on their wrists after training outdoors, has birthed a new term for summer 2026: watch rot. With temperatures soaring this summer, it seems ‘watch rot’ has too, with 33,000 Google searches for the term in the last month alone. Dr Latif explains that the first step with skin issues like this is identifying and removing ‘the trigger’. If the problem continues despite taking these steps, Dr Latif recommends seeing a doctor to rule out infection or other conditions. How to prevent itIt may seem like a no-brainer, but hygiene is key when it comes to preventing ‘watch rot’.