Digital technology-related devices like Apple Watches are popular among people of all ages now. On social media, there have been many discussions about the pros and cons of them. However, some such views are misleading and tarnish the reputation of popular brands. Here, we are fact-checking some misleading claims about Apple Watches.
Social Media Posts
Viral social media posts claim that Apple Watches contain dangerous chemicals, including PFHxA (perfluorohexanoic acid), and suggest that wearing the device can lead to cancer and other diseases. The posts refer vaguely to “reports” and “accusations” against the company but provide no clear evidence.
We decided to do a fact check on this.
Fact Check
Claim 1: Do Apple Watches contain PFHxA or other PFAS chemicals at levels that pose a health risk?
There has been no wide range of research about the issue. A peer-reviewed study (Peaslee et al., ACS Environ Sci Technol Lett., Dec 2024) found that many fluoroelastomer watch bands (including Apple Sport/Nike/Ocean bands) contained PFHxA, a short-chain PFAS. These “forever chemicals” are prized for durability, but researchers warned the levels were “much higher than most PFAS we have seen in consumer products.” The study detected PFHxA in 40% of bands, with a median of ~800 ppb PFHxA and one sample exceeding 16,000 ppb. (For context, some US states’ health guidelines for drinking water are on the order of 1–2 ppb PFHxA, but direct comparison to skin exposure isn’t straightforward.) The bands in question are fluoroelastomer straps (sold in Apple’s Sport, Nike, and Ocean models), which rely on fluorinated polymers. Apple notes that while these polymeric PFAS materials differ from industrial PFAS compounds (PFOA/PFOS) and are chemically stable, it is working toward a PFAS phaseout. Importantly, Apple’s own environmental documents state that fluoropolymers in its products were “safe during product use.”
Claim 2: Is there scientific evidence linking Apple Watch use to cancer or other diseases?
Although PFAS (as a class) have been linked to various health issues—including kidney/liver damage, immune effects, hormone disruption, and increased rates of some cancers—risk depends on exposure. No health agency has identified Apple Watch bands specifically as a cancer source. In fact, Apple’s regulatory filings and public statements emphasize compliance with strict safety standards and ongoing testing. For example, Apple’s materials safety guidelines say they often “go beyond regulatory requirements” and that PFAS in its products must meet stringent limits. Some consumer lawsuits have been filed (e.g., Cavalier v. Apple, Jan 2025) alleging certain Apple Watch bands contain “toxic” PFAS and mislead users, but these are unproven legal claims, not scientific findings. Some analysts note, all such cases are “in their infancy,” and Apple has yet to be found liable. In fact, Apple responded to the 2025 lawsuit by reiterating that its bands are tested and safe to wear.
Critically, no scientific study has ever linked Apple Watch use (or any fitness tracker) to cancer or other illnesses. Apple Watches use low-power Bluetooth/Wi-Fi radios (non-ionizing radiation), and health agencies report that wearables expose users to far below safety limits. By analogy, decades of cell‑phone use have not raised cancer rates: NCI notes that “evidence to date suggests that cell phone use does not cause brain or other kinds of cancer in humans.” A University of Utah cancer expert similarly remarked in 2015 that fitness trackers are “almost certainly benign” and that no evidence supports a cancer risk from them. In short, the electromagnetic emissions or sensing functions of a smartwatch pose no known cancer risk. Likewise, while PFAS exposure (from any source) is a genuine public-health concern (the FDA, EPA, and other agencies regulate certain PFAS in water), wearing a watchband is not a studied exposure pathway for cancer.
Claim 3: Have any regulators officially accused Apple of using carcinogenic materials in Apple Watches?
No, so far no regulator or health agency has officially accused Apple of using carcinogenic materials in Apple Watches.
Claim 4: Can PFAS exposure realistically occur through skin contact from wearing a smartwatch?
Laboratory studies suggest some transfer is possible, but the extent is unclear. Research using skin models found that a significant fraction of short-chain PFAS like PFHxA can penetrate human skin and enter the bloodstream. In one experiment, ~60% of PFAS in a topical cream was absorbed through a skin sample. “Sweating” or prolonged contact (as occurs during exercise) could enhance absorption. However, these results do not quantify real-world doses from a watch. Even in these lab tests, most of the PFAS remained on the surface; we lack data on how much PFHxA actually transfers from a cured rubber band into human skin. Apple’s gear is designed so that bands are chemically inert under normal use, and no medical reports have emerged of PFAS poisoning from wristbands.
Claim 5: Are recent “reports” about smartwatch-related cancer supported by credible scientific studies?
Many headlines have sensationalized the PFAS findings. For example, news outlets (e.g., Times of India) ran stories titled “Smartwatches found containing high levels of cancer-causing ‘forever chemicals.’” Such language is misleading: it conflates the presence of any PFAS with proven carcinogenic action. In reality, the only study behind these reports looked at PFAS content, not cancer outcomes.
Popular Science summarized the lawsuit and study without claiming any direct health impact, noting that PFHxA in the bands was found at higher levels than in cosmetics but also that “clear guidelines” on PFHxA exposure are not established. In other words, there is no credible evidence that wearing a smartwatch causes cancer; the chemistry concerns remain theoretical. Until epidemiologists show otherwise, the claim that “Apple Watch causes cancer” is unsubstantiated hype.
Conclusion
PFAS chemicals (including PFHxA) have indeed been detected in some Apple Watch bands, but these findings alone do not demonstrate a health hazard from wearing the watch. Apple stresses that its bands are safe, and global safety standards for electronic devices are met. No health agency or study has accused Apple of using outright carcinogens in Watch bands, and no research links smartwatches to cancer.
As experts note, low-level RF exposure from wearables is far below harmful levels, and PFAS concerns relate to long-term environmental exposure. Thus, the viral posts are misleading: they blur together “PFAS found in bands” with unsupported leaps about cancer. Until new data appear, there is no basis to believe Apple Watches cause cancer or other diseases
Title: Fact-Check: Does the Apple Watch Cause Cancer?
Fact Check By: Rashmitha DiwyanjaliResult: Misleading
