A dangerous new social media trend is leaving children with serious, life-long injuries — and one mother is speaking out after her daughter was badly burned.
Charlotte, from Bristol, says her 10-year-old daughter Bella could be scarred for life after microwaving a squishy toy at a friend’s house.
When the super-heated toy burst, scalding hot liquid exploded onto Bella’s face, causing bright red burns, blisters, and missing skin. Her mother described the injury as “traumatising.”
“I could see straight away her face was bright red… there was skin missing and blisters,” Charlotte said. “She was in absolute tears.”
The trend involves putting squishy silicone toys in the microwave to make them softer and more “elastic.” Videos of kids and adults doing it have gone viral on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
Charlotte only discovered the trend after searching online following her daughter’s horrific injury. Another local mom, Gemma Wells, also came forward saying her child suffered a similar facial scald from the same dangerous challenge.
Health experts and safety organizations are now sounding the alarm:
- The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) warned that “misuse of household appliances can have devastating consequences.”
- They’re urging parents to talk to their kids about the dangers of copying online trends.
TikTok says content promoting dangerous behavior that could cause serious injury violates their rules and will be removed.
Parents are being warned: Do not let your children microwave squishy toys — the silicone outside can feel cool while the inside becomes dangerously hot.
This is yet another reminder of how quickly viral trends can turn into real-world nightmares for families.
