A woman from Hackney, London, has sounded the alarm for hot water bottle users after suffering severe burns when her bottle “melted” and burst open. Sophia Pauley, 29, was left in excruciating pain when the scalding contents spilled onto her upper legs, inner thighs, “under her bum,” and a section of her hand.
She warned: “If anyone uses them, I would advise them to bin it.” Sophia recounted the harrowing ordeal, describing how she had filled her hot water bottle before bed, only for the water to drench her within moments. The incident left her struggling to walk and use the toilet for a week.
Recalling the traumatic experience, Sophia said: “I sat in bed and immediately thought I had left the lid off because it was suddenly all over me.
“I was screaming, there was so much, and I could just feel it burn underneath me. I threw my pyjamas off and ran to the shower. My sister ended up filling the bath with cold water because the shower head couldn’t cover the area.”
After the accident, Sophia called an ambulance and followed their advice to stay submerged in cold water for 45 minutes before receiving treatment at A&E, reports the Express.
Sophia recounted a harrowing experience where doctors had to remove “flappy skin” from her body, which was “melted” off her thighs, calling it “the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced”. She is now determined to raise awareness in the UK about the dangers of using hot water bottles, especially as many turn to them during colder months.
She revealed that medical professionals informed her such incidents are on the rise. Sophia shared: “I’ve been using hot water bottles since I was a kid, I use them often in the winter just to get warm because my hands and feet always get cold.
“After this, I’ll never ever use hot water bottles again. I have always known the danger but never heard of one splitting. I thought I had left the lid off but my sister told me the plastic had just melted and it poured all out.”
She continued: “After going to the burns unit, they said this is the case of the week, we had an 80% rise in the last few years, all from hot water burns.
“Some burns that look quite insignificant can be caused from the hot water bottle not even spilling but burning on the skin. If anyone uses them, I would advise them to bin it.”
While Sophia is advocating for people to discard their hot water bottles, she also advises that if one chooses to use them, it’s crucial to “ensure they are safe” by replacing them annually and avoiding filling them with boiling water. In situations like Sophia’s, the NHS recommends removing any clothing or jewellery from the affected area and cooling the burn under cool or lukewarm running water for up to 30 minutes.
Sophie has urged people to bin their hot water bottles
(Image: (Image: Getty))
The 29-year-old said if you do use one be safe
(Image: (Image: Getty))