Anatomical site selection is more than a placement decision. For skin-worn medical and consumer devices, the intended site can influence skin tolerance, adhesion, signal quality, usability, and sustained wear. Part 2 of BOHLD Consulting’s Human Factors Series examines site selection through four interdependent considerations: device function, intended user, use environment, and user interface.

The skin beneath a wearable device is not a passive surface. It's living tissue. This BOHLD blog explores how human factors principles established in the FDA framework can be applied to understand the skin-device interface and how skin biology, device design, and real-world use conditions influence safety, comfort, and wearability for sustained device use.

8 Part Series Overview | The Importance of Human Factors in Wearable Device Design A skin-worn product can pass biocompatibility testing, meet its technical specifications, and still struggle in the real world. The materials may be well characterized, the adhesive may perform under controlled conditions, and the software may function exactly as intended. Yet users may still report skin irritation, itching, device falling off, or early product removal. These outcomes are often