Dangerous TikTok Trend: 13-Year-Old Girl Suffers Burns After Heating 'Squishy' Toy
A 13-year-old girl was treated at the 'Meuhedet' urgent care center in Hadera for second-degree burns after attempting a TikTok trend that involves heating 'squishy' toys in a microwave. Her mother warns: "No video is worth this risk."
Another dangerous social media trend is taking a painful toll and leading to the emergency room. Staff at the 'Meuhedet' Urgent Care Center in Hadera recently treated a 13-year-old local girl who arrived with a second-degree burn on her palm. Medical staff were stunned to discover the injury was caused by an attempt to replicate popular TikTok videos that encourage young people to heat 'squishy' toys in a home microwave to reshape them.
The girl heated the silicone toy, but upon removing it from the microwave without gloves or protection, the boiling material stuck to her skin, causing immediate and severe damage.
A., the girl's mother, recalls the terrifying moments and shares a clear message for all parents:
"My daughter tried to reshape the toy as she saw in online videos. Within seconds, she suffered a second-degree burn. The boiling silicone stuck to her skin, and the pain was unimaginable."
The mother added that it was a miracle the toy was filled with silicone rather than liquid, which could have exploded during heating and caused even more catastrophic injuries to the face and eyes. "My daughter is incapacitated during her summer vacation—no beach, no pool, and all plans were halted in an instant. Today, the area remains without skin, and we are dealing with intense pain and the fear of permanent scarring. I ask every parent and child: do not try this trend. No video on TikTok is worth the risk."
Dr. Hassan Jassar, a pediatrician at the 'Meuhedet' Urgent Care Center who treated the girl, described the case: "The girl arrived accompanied by her father, in pain and stressed. I was stunned to hear the source of the burn was a 'squishy'. We identified a second-degree burn with blisters. The immediate treatment they wisely performed before arrival—washing under lukewarm running water—was correct. At the center, we provided local treatment with ointment, pain relief, and dressings to prevent secondary infection." The girl was released home with follow-up instructions.
Dr. Muhammad Kabaha, medical director of 'Meuhedet' Urgent Care Centers in the Northern District, warns against this phenomenon: "As a doctor, I see many preventable injuries, and this case is a painful reminder that not every web trend is an innocent game. Heating a 'squishy' in a microwave can cause extreme internal temperatures, severe burns, and even explosions in certain products. I urge parents to talk to their children about the dangers of imitating web challenges. A few seconds of curiosity can end in pain, prolonged medical treatment, and lifelong scars."
