Oculus Quest 2 is causing skin irritation such as bumps and swelling for some users

A popular product this holiday season, it appears that the Oculus Quest 2 headset is causing skin irritation issues for a small amount of users.

According to Oculus, approximately 0.01% of Oculus Quest 2 users have reported skin-related symptoms when using the virtual reality headset, such as bumps, swelling and redness. Despite receiving a small amount of reports, Oculus wanted to share the information “out of an abundance of caution”.

Oculus believes that the irritation could be caused by "substances introduced during the manufacturing process or reactions between materials in the headset and cosmetics or skincare products." It stressed that experts have advised them that it is not being caused by any sort of allergic reaction, however, and that it has already made changes to the Quest 2 manufacturing process to a dress this issue.

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Oculus posted a statement on its company blog about how it’s tackling the issue, and that the issue some users are experiencing should resolve on their own. However, it conceded that this issue doesn’t meet its high standards for customer experience.

"We've received reports of skin irritation from about 0.01% of people using Quest 2, occurring where the foam portion of the Quest 2 headset rests on their face,” said Oculus. “While the vast majority of cases are mild and cases should resolve on their own, this doesn't meet our high standards for customer experience.”

Oculus statement goes on to clarify that it is taking the reports seriously and working with experts to determine exactly why some users are reacting to the foam portion of the device.

“We're investigating these reports and working with experts in dermatology and toxicology to better understand the nature of the irritation. These experts have advised us that this irritation is not an allergic reaction, nor is it a serious medical condition, and it should go away by itself. However, we're sharing more information about it out of an abundance of caution."

If you have experienced any irritation or reaction to the headset’s foam, Oculus is also preparing a program so that users can replace the face cushion or 'foam interface' as the company calls it. The company said it will share more information on the Oculus website when the exchange program is ready to start. You can also contact customer support.

Saving face

While the adoption of virtual reality has been somewhat sporadic, the Oculus Quest 2 has proven to be a highly desirable product in recent months. It’s wireless nature and affordable price point has helped it overcome many of the barriers that have prevented VR from hitting the mainstream, although the Oculus Quest 2 has come under fire for requiring users to link a Facebook account.

Even though VR can still cause mild motion sickness, the fact that the headset can potentially also cause various skin irritation is a concern for Oculus. Thankfully it seems the Facebook-owned company is taking the problem seriously, and aiming to rectify the issue as soon as possible.