A 10-year-old girl in the United Kingdom is undergoing burn treatment after copying a TikTok experiment involving a popular stress-relief toy, prompting her mother to warn other parents to prevent similar accidents. Similar products, sold in Korea under names such as "mallangi" or "squeeze toys," are also widely distributed, raising the need for caution.
According to the BBC and the New York Post on the 26th (local time), Bella, the daughter of 42-year-old Charlotte from Hartcliffe, Bristol in the UK, was injured at a friend's house while imitating a TikTok video. The children put a stress-relief toy called "NeeDoh" in a freezer and then heated it in a microwave, hoping to make the toy softer. Although the surface of the heated NeeDoh was not hot, the contents inside had reached a high temperature. When the friend pressed the toy, it burst and the hot gel inside splashed onto the faces of both children. Bella's face turned red before the skin peeled and blistered.
Bella is receiving specialized burn treatment. "We were told to keep her face out of the sun for the next two years," Charlotte said. "We don't yet know whether scars will remain." She added, "It is a real relief that it did not splash into her eyes." After the accident, Charlotte found that numerous videos of the same toy being placed in microwaves had been posted on social media. "Just searching shows that many children have suffered the same accident," she said, urging parents to pay attention. The manufacturer's website carries a warning that reads, "Do not heat, freeze or microwave. Injury may occur."
Similar accidents have been reported previously. Last year in Missouri in the United States, a 7-year-old girl lost consciousness and received intensive care after a squishy toy placed in a microwave burst. At the time, the child's father said, "The substance inside was similar to hot glue exploding." NeeDoh is a tactile play product made by U.S. toy company Schylling, consisting of a rubber outer layer filled with soft gel-like contents. Users press or stretch it by hand to enjoy the texture, and it is sold in various colors and shapes. Some parents have introduced it as a tactile play tool for children sensitive to sensory stimulation.
When hot liquid or gel touches the skin and causes burns, the affected area should first be cooled under running cool water for about 20 minutes. Applying ice or ice water directly should be avoided, as it can worsen skin damage. Items such as rings or bracelets should be removed quickly, and if clothing has stuck to the skin, it should not be forcibly peeled off. Applying toothpaste, butter, ointment or folk remedy ingredients increases the risk of infection. Blisters should not be popped; they should be gently covered with clean gauze or cloth before going to a hospital. Burns to the face or near the eyes, burns where the skin has peeled, and burns covering large areas require prompt medical attention.
