The Viral TikTok Candy Trend That's Caused Some Pretty Serious Burns

It's no secret that social media can be used as a force for good or ... well, not-so-good. There are plenty of viral TikTok videos that claim to be game-changing or introduce a fun new activity. Sometimes, it's both, and sometimes, it's great. The viral jalapeno dust trick made us wish we'd thought of it first, but not all trends are as helpful as grating frozen peppers over your meal. In fact, some trends are downright dangerous, and medical professionals warn about the hazards of one seemingly harmless TikTok trend that's sent multiple people to the hospital.

At a glance, the idea seems like it would be pretty fun. It's based on a traditional Chinese street food called Tanghulu, which is fruit served on a skewer and covered in a hard candy shell. If you're a fan of hard candy apples, the idea isn't dissimilar, but Tanghulu is typically made from things like strawberries, hawthorn berries, cherries, or pineapple. It's commonly served as a part of Chinese New Year celebrations, and it's been around since the Song Dynasty, which dates from 960 to 1279.

The TikTok video shares how easy it is to make Tanghulu at home, and it's done by dipping various fruits into melted sugar syrup. The problem is that the melted syrup is causing major burns, and medical experts are warning that they have seen multiple patients — adults and children — admitted to hospital with severe burns.

There are many cooking-related viral videos that hit social media, like the TikTok lasagna soup that became a must-try sensation. There weren't news reports about people getting hurt making this particular dish, so what's different here? For starters, there's the temperature of the melted sugar. Water, remember, boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas standard table sugar melts at 367 degrees Fahrenheit. Sure, that's hot, but there's even more to it than that.

According to a press release issued by Shriners Children's, the burns from melted sugar — or the melted Jolly Ranchers that some people are using — are worse than burns from water. Dr. Colleen Ryan, M.D., explained, "When sugar is melted in the microwave like this, it has a high heat capacity, meaning it stores the heat energy. 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."

The burns can be so bad that they potentially cause permanent nerve damage — especially considering that when the super-heated sugar spills and begins to cool, it hardens on the burn where it continues burning. Christina Blackstone and her son, 9-year-old Caidan, discovered that first-hand when Caidan spilled some on his hand while trying to make the candy. Blackstone told CBS News, "My instinct was, 'Just pull it off, Christina.' So I just grabbed him, and I was yanking it off. I think I was tearing skin."

If Christina Blackstone's experience of tearing hardening, still-burning sugar off of her son's hand sounds awful, it should. However, she told CBS News that doctors confirmed that was exactly what the best course of action was: If she hadn't, she said, "It would have resulted in a third-degree burn, and it would have gone into his nerves. He wouldn't have feelings in his hands at that point."

As it was, Blackstone's son ended up needing physical therapy and losing a few fingernails which will grow back. Furthermore, medical professionals stress that the other burns they've seen are in the most vulnerable parts of the body — specifically, the hands and face.

Incidents like this have prompted warnings about the potential for serious injury. It's also worth noting that your first instincts might not always be right. For example, the Mayo Clinic warns that burns should never be iced and that you should apply cool (not cold) water for 10 minutes instead. That will help stop the burn from penetrating deeper. And if you're wondering whether or not to seek emergency care, you should if the burn covers an area greater than 3 inches, overlaps a major joint, or starts swelling quickly. If there's no pain, that's a bad sign and could indicate nerve damage. Accidents can always happen, but some common kitchen injuries can be avoided with a little know-how.