Does the Fitbit Charge 6 Band Contain PFAS? What You Need to Know

If you have been following health news recently, you might have come across some unsettling headlines about wearable fitness trackers and a group of chemicals called PFAS. The question "Does the Fitbit Charge 6 band have PFAS?" has been cropping up in online forums, Reddit threads, and wearable tech community pages with increasing urgency, and it is completely understandable why users are concerned.

You wear your fitness tracker every day. Against your skin, through workouts and during sleep. The idea that the very band keeping it in place could be exposing you to potentially harmful chemicals is enough to make anyone stop and ask questions. So let's break it down clearly and honestly, because you and all the other Charge 6 users worldwide deserve a straight answer.

What Are PFAS, and Why Are People Worried?

PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. They are a family of thousands of synthetic chemicals that have been used in manufacturing since the 1940s. You will find them in non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, food packaging, firefighting foam, and, as recent research has revealed, some wearable tech bands.

The reason people are worried is the nickname that is stuck to them: "forever chemicals." PFAS do not break down naturally in the environment or in the human body. They accumulate over time, and a growing body of scientific research has linked prolonged exposure to a range of serious health concerns, including disruption of the immune system and hormonal imbalances, along with increased blood pressure during pregnancy, and a raised risk of certain cancers, including kidney and testicular cancer.

That is not us scaremongering. Those are the findings cited by researchers at the University of Notre Dame in a study published in Environmental Science and Technology Letters in December 2024, which specifically investigated PFAS levels in smartwatch and fitness tracker bands.

The Study That Started the Conversation

The Notre Dame study tested 22 watch bands across a variety of brands, price points, and materials, including straps from brands such as Apple, Samsung, Google, and Fitbit. The researchers used advanced scientific techniques to measure total fluorine content, which is a reliable indicator of PFAS presence.

Their findings were actually pretty striking. Nine of the 22 bands tested contained elevated levels of a specific PFAS compound called perfluorohexanoic acid, or PFHxA. The median concentration was nearly 800 parts per billion, with one sample exceeding 16,000 parts per billion. To put that in perspective, when the same research team previously tested cosmetics for PFAS, the median concentration was just 200 parts per billion.

The watch bands that were most likely to contain PFAS were those made from fluoroelastomer, which is a synthetic rubber widely used in fitness and smartwatch straps because of its durability, resistance to sweat, and smooth feel against the skin.

The concern is not just about the chemicals being present. It is about the fact that you may be wearing your Charge 6 band for ten, eleven, sometimes twelve hours a day, directly against your skin. A 2024 study published in Environment International confirmed that certain PFAS compounds can pass through the skin and enter the bloodstream. The wrist, with its proximity to blood vessels, is a particularly absorptive area of the body.

Are Fitbit Charge 6 Bands Safe?

This is the question at the heart of it all, and to give you the most accurate picture, it is worth separating what Fitbit has officially said from what the research suggests.

According to a Fitbit Community moderator, who has confirmed that they work for the company, Fitbit device bands and Pixel Watch bands do not contain PFAS. This is reassuring on the surface, and for the standard silicone band that ships with the Charge 6, there is good reason to trust that statement.

Silicone, as the Notre Dame researchers confirmed, showed little to no detectable PFAS in the bands they tested. The Fitbit Charge 6's standard wristband is described by the brand as a flexible, lightweight silicone material similar to that used in many sports watches. Silicone is a fundamentally different material from fluoroelastomer, and the research does not indicate it poses the same PFAS risk.

However, the picture becomes more complicated when you factor in third-party replacement bands. If you have replaced your original Charge 6 strap with a fluoroelastomer or FKM rubber alternative, that band may well fall into a completely different category. It is also worth noting that Fitbit's customer service agents gave inconsistent responses to some users who asked directly, with at least one agent initially suggesting that the Charge 6 band did contain PFAS before a moderator stepped in to clarify otherwise.

That inconsistency is part of why people are still asking the question. Transparency from wearable tech companies has been frustratingly limited across the board, and many consumers feel they're being asked to take their brand's word for it rather than being given independent, peer-reviewed evidence specific to their device.

Fluoroelastomer vs. Silicone: Understanding the Difference

If you are shopping for a replacement strap or simply trying to understand what is on your wrist, the material distinction is the most important thing to look for.

Fluoroelastomer (which is sometimes labelled as FKM rubber or fluorinated rubber) is prized in the wearable tech industry for very specific reasons. It does not cling to skin in hot weather, and it dries rapidly after swimming or showering, along with resisting discolouration from products like moisturisers and sun creams. That is why it became the go-to material for high-end smartwatch straps. But that performance profile comes from its fluorine-based chemical structure, which is precisely where the PFAS concern originates.

Silicone, by contrast, is a non-fluorinated polymer. It shares many of the same practical benefits; it is soft and flexible, while also being very easy to clean, but it achieves these properties through a fundamentally different chemistry that does notinvolve PFAS. The Notre Dame research confirms that silicone bands showed negligible fluorine levels.

Other band materials worth considering include nylon and woven fabric bands, which also tested clean in the study, as well as leather and stainless steel. If you are looking to move away from any potential PFAS exposure, these are all worth exploring.

If you have ever suffered from any sort of skin irritation and are looking for a new watch band, our article on how to choose the best Charge 6 watch band for skin sensitivity is a must-read. 

What This Means for Everyday Charge 6 Users 

It is worth us being clear: the current scientific consensus does not call for any panic. Researchers themselves have stopped short of making definitive health claims specific to watch band exposure, partly because the skin absorption rate for PFHxA specifically is not yet fully established. The Notre Dame team has called for more comprehensive research, and that work is ongoing.

That said, it is completely reasonable to take a precautionary approach, particularly if you are someone who wears your Charge 6 tracker for long periods throughout the day, exercises regularly with it on, or has concerns about cumulative chemical exposure. The principle of informed choice matters here. If you can easily reduce a potential source of PFAS exposure without compromising your health tracking routine, many people would argue it is worth doing.

A few practical steps to consider:

• Check the material of your current watch band. If it is the standard silicone band that came with your Charge 6, the available evidence suggests this is a lower-risk option.

• If you have purchased a third-party band described as fluoroelastomer or FKM rubber, you may wish to consider switching.

• Look for bands explicitly described as PFAS-free or silicone.

• If you wear your tracker during sleep, it might be worth removing it occasionally to reduce total contact time with the skin.

• Wash the band and the skin underneath it regularly.

Looking for a Safer Fitbit Charge 6 Band Alternative?

This is where FitstrapsUK comes in. Our range of Fitbit Charge 6 watch straps is designed with exactly these kinds of concerns in mind. We focus on quality materials that are kind to skin, built to last, and free from the synthetic rubber formulations linked to PFAS concerns.

Whether you are after a premium silicone strap that feels comfortable during a workout, a breathable nylon band for wearing all day long, or something with a slightly more polished, everyday look, our collection gives you genuine choice without compromising on fit or durability. We know Fitbit Charge 6 users take their health seriously. It is the whole point of wearing the tracker in the first place. So it makes sense that the band itself should meet the same standard.

The Bigger Picture on PFAS and Wearable Tech

The watch band study is part of a broader conversation that has been building for years around PFAS in consumer products. From cookware and clothing to cosmetics and food packaging, manufacturers across dozens of industries have been scrutinised for their use of these chemicals, and public pressure for greater transparency is growing.

In the wearable tech sector, Apple has publicly committed to phasing out PFAS from its products and manufacturing processes and lists PFHxA as a restricted substance with defined threshold limits. It is an acknowledgement that the concern is real and worth acting on, even as debate continues about the precise level of risk from skin contact specifically.

For Fitbit and Google, the conversation is still developing. The community moderator's assurance that standard bands do not contain PFAS is a starting point, but many consumers are understandably calling for more formal, published material safety data.

What's clear is that asking "are Fitbit Charge 6 bands safe?" is no longer an obscure question. It is one that more and more people are asking, and rightly so. Being an informed consumer does not mean assuming the worst. It means knowing enough to make decisions you feel confident in.

Frequently Asked Questions On Whether Charge 6 Watch Straps Contain PFAS?

Does the Fitbit Charge 6 band contain PFAS?

According to an official Fitbit community moderator, the standard band that comes with the Fitbit Charge 6 does not contain PFAS. It is produced using silicone, which the University of Notre Dame study found to have little to no detectable PFAS. However, if you have replaced the original band with a third-party fluoroelastomer or FKM rubber strap, that may be a different matter.

What are PFAS, and why do they matter for watch bands?

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of synthetic chemicals used in manufacturing for their resistance to water, heat, and stains. They are known as "forever chemicals" because they don't break down naturally. A 2024 study found elevated PFAS levels in some smartwatch and fitness tracker bands made from fluoroelastomer, raising concerns about daily skin exposure.

Are Fitbit Charge 6 bands safe to wear every day?

Based on current evidence, the standard silicone band that ships with the Fitbit Charge 6 appears to be a safer option compared to fluoroelastomer bands. Researchers recommend silicone as a lower-risk alternative. That said, no watch band exposure study has been carried out specifically on the Charge 6 band in isolation, so the most prudent approach is to verify your band's material and keep up with any official guidance from Fitbit.

What band materials should I avoid if I am concerned about PFAS?

The key term to look out for is fluoroelastomer, which may also be labelled as FKM rubber or fluorinated rubber. The Notre Dame research found that all fluoroelastomer bands tested contained elevated fluorine levels indicative of PFAS. Silicone, nylon, leather, and metal bands were found to be far lower risk.

Where can I find PFAS-free Fitbit Charge 6 bands?

FitstrapsUK offers a range of Fitbit Charge 6 compatible bands made from quality materials clearly described on each product page. Our silicone and fabric straps offer a comfortable, stylish, and transparent alternative if you're looking to move away from synthetic rubber bands.