As energy bills continue to strain household budgets, many Britons are turning to hot water bottles to keep warm during the cold winter nights. However, a London-based doctor has issued a stark warning about the potential dangers of improper use, which could lead to serious burns.
Dr Nomzzy, known as The Skin Doc on TikTok, highlighted that many people are unaware that hot water bottles have an expiry date of just two years from manufacture. He explained that a series of dots and numbers on the bottle indicate the production date, and failing to interpret this correctly could put users at risk.
“If you use a hot water bottle, but you’ve got no idea what this means, then you’re at a risk of a serious burn,” Dr Nomzzy said. He added that he has treated countless patients who needed referral to burns units due to hot water bottle incidents.
To stay safe, Dr Nomzzy advises checking the manufacture date and replacing bottles older than two years. He also recommends not filling bottles to the brim with boiling water, but using warm water instead. The warning has sparked reactions online, with one commenter noting they had been burnt twice by hot water bottles, while another admitted their bottle dated back to 2009.
