In a statement which the company released to the public, it was intimated that the outbreak of rashes among the public might have had something to do with an allergic reaction to nickel. The statement read in part, ""We are looking into reports from a very limited number of Fitbit Force users who have been experiencing skin irritation, possibly as a result of an allergy to nickel, an element of surgical-grade stainless steel used in the device."

Contacted for comment, a representative of the National Institute of Health (NIH) reported that such mild cases of allergic rash were not serious enough to signal a national health disaster. The cases that have been reported so far have been quite minor, and will normally take no more than a few days or a week to clear up and disappear.

So far, there have no been no reports of fatal allergic reactions occurring as a result of using the popular device. The company's refund offer remains in place.

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 Here is the company's full statement:

"We are looking into reports from a very limited number of Fitbit Force users who have been experiencing skin irritation, possibly as a result of an allergy to nickel, an element of surgical-grade stainless steel used in the device.

We suggest that consumers experiencing any irritation discontinue using the product and contact Fitbit at force@fitbit.com if they have additional questions. Customers may also contact Fitbit for an immediate refund or replacement with a different Fitbit product.

We are sorry that even a few consumers have experienced these problems and assure you that we are looking at ways to modify the product so that anyone can wear the Fitbit Force comfortably. We will continue to update our customers with the latest information."