Chicago-area doctors warn TikTok challenge is sending teens to the hospital

Chicago-area doctors warn TikTok challenge is sending teens to the hospital

Kids are winding up in the hospital with burns all over their hands. Why? They’re lighting themselves on fire for TikTok.

CHICAGO - Kids are winding up in the hospital with burns all over their hands.

Why? They’re lighting themselves on fire for TikTok. Doctors are warning that the consequences can be permanent or even deadly.

What we know:

What starts as a few seconds of flames for TikTok can quickly spiral out of control. Doctors say teens are underestimating just how fast alcohol-based products ignite.

For one south suburban mother, a social media challenge nearly cost her daughter her life.

The videos are blowing up all over TikTok — teens setting their hands on fire using hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol, a lighter, and suddenly, flames.

It may look like fun and games, but doctors warn the consequences can be life-changing.

"About 45 to 50 percent of her face was second-degree burns — her hands," one mother from Chicago's south suburbs said.

The woman — who asked not to be identified — shared photos of her daughter with Fox Chicago. Her face burned and her hands badly injured.

The 13-year-old's hands were on fire. The flames then spread to the alcohol bottle, exploded in her face and caught part of the home on fire too.

"My mom called me and said the kitchen cabinets were on fire and that my daughter had burned herself. She was scared to say what happened, but we later found out it was a TikTok trend she tried to do," the woman said.

The single mom rushed her 13-year-old daughter here to UChicago Medicine Ingalls in Calumet City.

"And they explained to me that they had to wipe the skin off of her face so they would be able to apply the cream and ointment to her face," she said.

When you search online, dozens of similar stories appear — teens seriously burned trying the same challenge.

What they're saying:

Emergency room doctors say these injuries are becoming more common and more severe.

Dr. Chris Colbert, former assistant program director at the University of Illinois, said the challenge could be fatal.

"So you can have a rush of flame, a spread of flame that is not intended, that can extend into the face, into the eyes and can have really tremendous impact," Colbert said.

"My life has changed drastically since then," the mother said.

She says time is ticking before someone else gets hurt, and she wants to warn parents.

"I want to warn parents, and I want them to sit down with their kids to let them know that they don't have to partake in everything they see on social media," the mother said.

What you can do:

Doctors and fire officials urge parents to talk with their kids about the real dangers behind viral challenges, especially those involving fire, chemicals, or household products. 

Experts recommend monitoring social media activity and reminding teens that online trends are often edited to hide injuries. If a burn does happen, seek medical attention immediately.