As the cold weather sets in, many of us turn to trusty hot water bottles for a bit of extra warmth and comfort on those chilly evenings.
They're great for snuggling up with and can help soothe various aches and pains. However, a London-based doctor has issued a stark warning about their use.
Dr Nomzzy, known as The Skin Doc on TikTok, cautioned that incorrect use could lead to "serious burns". In an informative video, he shared his concerns, saying: "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. "My name is Doctor Muhammed, I practice in London, and the reason why I'm making this video is because in my career I've come across countless patients who needed a referral to the burns unit, and it's often come to light that their hot water bottle was to blame."He continued to explain the importance of being aware of the expiry date of hot water bottles, which is typically two years from the manufacturing date.
He instructed on how to interpret the expiry information, adding: "So, the 21 in the middle, corresponds to the year the hot water bottle was manufactured, and it's got 12 different segments there. "So, each segment corresponds to a month.