Local pain is the main factor that limits regional hyperthermia treatment. Using the SAR model of the regional hyperthermia treatment planning system, the capability of absorbing blocks to reduce peripheral hot spots was investigated. The effect of rectangular absorbers of various size and salinity on an elliptical phantom in the Coaxial TEM was evaluated. The computed results were compared with SAR values measured in the phantom. Absorbers of 9 x 9 x 4 cm3 and a salinity of 18 gram l(-1) provide a SAR reduction in the muscle equivalent material, centrally under the absorber of at least 50% at a depth of up to 3 cm. The effect on the central (i.e. tumour) region is less than 20%. Larger absorbers have a more global effect and cause more attenuation in the central region. The attenuating effect depends strongly on the thickness of the fat layer between muscle and absorber. More than 2 cm fat limits the effective use of absorbers. Absorbers can induce a significant increase of SAR in muscle and fat near their edges. This effect also depends on absorber size and salinity and the thickness of the fat layer. The effect of an absorber was also evaluated with a patient anatomy, yielding results in agreement with the phantom experiments.