In April, Jasmine and Tea, a TikTok user, published a guide explaining the steps involved in creating Tanghulu. You must microwave a mixture that consists of sugar and water for five minutes, at thirty-second intervals.
The TikToker said in the video that the boiling fluid gets “really hot” and that you should not touch it with bare hands. After criticizing the fruits, dip them into it. Allow the sugar syrup-coated fruit skewers to solidify. Nevertheless, a number of toddlers who tried out the viral trend and spilled sugar resulted in severe burning, according to the Shriners toddler’s Hospital in Boston.
After using the same exercise, surgeon Colleen Ryan, MD, of Shriners, reportedly treated two patients in a span of 2 weeks. The speaker said, “When you melt sugar in the microwave like this, it has a high heat capacity, meaning it stores the heat energy.”
She went on to explain, saying that although spilling it can result in a severe scald burn similar to that of hot soup, the characteristics of sugar can inflict a far deeper burn. According to the NY Post, “If spilled, it can create a severe scald burn, much like spilling hot soup, but it can cause a much deeper burn because of sugar’s properties. Kids or teens can quickly grab the pot or bowl, and the hot fluid splashes, spills or splatters over them.”
“One or several small but very deep burns, often in critical areas such as the hand or the face,” the surgeon said in closing. Following the viral trend, Ryan and her colleagues in the nation and abroad observed a rise in cases of serious burns.
Ryan asked parents to exercise caution in case their children come upon this social media trend. “It can seem like a fun, harmless activity for kids to try making the treat themselves. There is an opportunity to prevent this injury if everyone is aware of this danger”, the speaker stated.
If everyone is aware of the risk then there might be a chance to stop this accordingly from happening. “Parents should be careful and make sure their children have learned proper cooking safety and take preventive measures”, the surgeon advised.
Marc Siegel, a clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and senior medical commentator on Fox News warned Fox Digital that youngsters can become “contagious” from these viral trends and that melting sugar can be highly “dangerous”.
Shriners surgeons advise against applying ice to the injured area and removing all clothes from the area surrounding the wound. The doctor recommended that parents seek medical attention if required. Siegel continued, “Blistering is a second-degree burn and may respond to burn creams, but if it is leathery (black, brown, or white in color), you should see a doctor right away.”
