A doctor has warned people to be careful with hot water bottles this winter and to check them before using one for the first time. Dr Amir Khan, who was speaking on ITV's Lorraine programme this morning, said it was likely more people would be turning to them as they try to keep their heating bills down.
It comes as people look to save money, with reports that sales of electric blankets and ceramic heaters have increased. And hot water bottle are also proving popular as a way to keep warm without using the heating. But Dr Khan issued a warning and referred to a horror story that saw one person left with severe burns, reports YorkshireLive.
He said: "It’s the time of year when you’ll be dusting off your water bottle. Particularly because of the heating prices, you might not want to turn your heating on, so you turn to your hot water bottle.
"Especially if it's an old one, fill it up first and give it a good squeeze because you need to make sure it's in good condition. [Journalist] Alice Beer put on Instagram a picture of someone who used an old water bottle which exploded while they had it close to their body and caused severe burns."
The GP also warned that you shouldn't keep a hot water bottle close to your body for too long as it can cause a skin rash.
He explained: "You can get a rash with hot water bottles if you apply them to your skin for a long period of time. I see this quite a lot - it’s got a bit of a posh word, it’s called erythema ab igne or the hot water bottle rash.
"If you put your hot water bottle against your skin, you get this kind of a wavy, red rash on your skin. It does fade after time if you take the hot water bottle away but it does look quite serious when you have it."
