Resting my wrist causing damage to aluminum?

[puggles]

It looks like something is eating away at the aluminum. This is the only area it's happening and it's also where i rest my wrist. It's not being caused by any physical damage, it's either on my desk or in a case in my bag. Anyone ever see this happen and is there anything i can do to prevent further damage?

 

[Webster's Mac]

It looks like something is eating away at the aluminum. This is the only area it's happening and it's also where i rest my wrist. It's not being caused by any physical damage, it's either on my desk or in a case in my bag. Anyone ever see this happen and is there anything i can do to prevent further damage?

It could be dust in the bag rubbing against those areas. Wrist wear would just make it look more shiny and it would be a more consistent area, not specks here and there

 

[Stephen.R]

I noticed something similar on my old 17", but never conclusively worked out what it was. I had mine on my desk the vast majority of the time.

 

[LorenK]

Aluminum oxidizes and the sweat in your wrist could be making it worse with the salts in the your sweat. The oxidation could possibly weaken the aluminum on the edge and banging your bag just against your leg could loosen the oxidized bits causing that. Chemistry at work. Or it could just have been a bad cast and those are places where there were microbubbles in the case and wear has weakened the overlying cast exposing the bubble below. I'm sure there are several other possibilities, but not much that you can do about it (maybe wear sweat bands at your desk? Just kidding).

 

[e1me5]

Do you store your MacBook in a sleeve with zips? I found out some days after I bought mine that they tend to dent the case if the computer rests on them when it is vertically in a back pack. I always place them so the are at the top and never touch the computer.

 

[Tomb01]

Well, here's my 2013 MBP. Same spot, where my right wrist rests on the case. My wife swears I sweat acid, so there is that....

 

[jerryk]

Do you use your computer while wearing long sleeve shirts or hoodies with zippers or buttons at the wrists? That will leave marks.

As for preventing further damage you could get a clear skin with a piece for the top. I use one from BestSkinsEver.

 

[mick2]

Do you use your computer while wearing long sleeve shirts or hoodies with zippers or buttons at the wrists? That will leave marks.

Aha! That might explain how I got the same wear marks on my old 13" MBP. I dont have acid sweat like some (guitar player so I know about this w/ strings!) but the alu MBP corroded / wore like this pretty quickly. Never worked out what caused it - but I wear long sleeve cotton tops / shirts all the time.

 

[Tomb01]

Do you use your computer while wearing long sleeve shirts or hoodies with zippers or buttons at the wrists? That will leave marks.

As for preventing further damage you could get a clear skin with a piece for the top. I use one from BestSkinsEver.

No, almost never wear long sleeves or buttons/zippers. And it is only the right side, I expect due to the fact that I am right handed so the trackpad usage dictates that wrist.

Have actually been thinking about investigating something to 'smooth' that edge, as it is now starting to be a bit annoying. Will look at the option of a clear skin to see if that makes sense.

 

[cambookpro]

My brother's sweat/skin seems to do the same. The front of his laptop looked like it had been eaten away, so he now buys palm guards/plastic Speck cases. We used to share a Magic Mouse and this happened after about two years; I've been the only one using it for a good 5 years or so since and it never got worse. It's very strange.