Mother tells of her horror as daughter’s skin ‘melts and bubbles’ when Primark hot water bottle spills boiling water over her
- Michelle Wescott’s daughter Sydney, 15, used a hot water bottle for period pains
- Now more than 10% of Sydney’s skin is blistered, causing hyperpigmentation
A mother has told of her horror after a Primark hot water bottle spilt boiling liquid over her daughter – causing her skin to ‘bubble and melt off’.
Michelle Wescott heard a ‘blood-curdling’ scream coming from the kitchen before she found her teenage daughter in agony.
Sydney, 15, had decided to make herself a hot water bottle in a bid to help her ‘excruciating’ period pains.
But as she sat down to eat dinner scalding water covered her thighs and stomach.
Now more than 10 per cent of Sydney’s skin has been left with blisters and hyperpigmentation, with Michelle hoping to raise awareness of the dangers of using hot water bottles from the kettle.
A mother has told of her horror after a Primark hot water bottle spilt boiling liquid over her daughter – causing her skin to ‘bubble and melt off’
Sydney (pictured), 15, had decided to make herself a hot water bottle in a bid to find comfort for her ‘excruciating’ period pains before the scalding water burnt her body
More than 10 per cent of Sydney’s skin has been left with blisters and hyperpigmentation as a result
‘My little girl’s skin bubbled before my eyes and my mind went numb from the sheer horror,’ Michelle, a secondary school attendance manager from Bristol, said.
‘I initially blamed myself, as I thought the lid wasn’t screwed on properly and I wondered how I could’ve let something like this slip at the expense of my daughter.
‘I went into survival mode, as did my daughter, Paige, and my husband, Richard, as we all rallied together to make sure she was OK as I know that timing is everything when it comes to burns.’
The mother added: ‘Whatever I did then and there would determine the outcome.
‘But as my husband doused her skin in cool water continuously, I couldn’t help but feel terrified as her skin continued to bubble and melt off.’
In a statement, Primark warned: ‘All our hot water bottles come with user instructions on both the product label and the hot water bottle itself, which includes a warning not to use boiling water.’
Michelle phoned 999 and 20 minutes later an ambulance arrived, where the teenager was given pain relief and her burns wrapped in cling film before being blue-lighted to the hospital in November 2022.
While there, Sydney was given more pain medication before doctors peeled the cling film back to examine the damage.
The burns team performed emergency debridement surgery on Sydney, where the top layer of the damaged skin is scraped off
Michelle claims that a slit in the Primark water bottle caused boiling water to flood out and all the protective coating had worn off
The burns team performed emergency debridement surgery, where the top layer of the damaged skin is scraped off.
Over the next three weeks, the family worked together to ensure a speedy recovery, using yoga blocks to prop up the leg so the teenager could sit and regular visits to the hospital to have the dressings changed.
Michelle, who tried to stay strong, found the whole ordeal ‘heartbreaking’ and recalls feeling ‘horrified’ at the condition of her daughter’s leg.
She said: ‘As her skin wasn’t able to scab due to no air getting to the wound, her thigh turned deep purple and the tissue was so thin that I could see her blood vessels.
‘Over the past few months, it’s changed through all different colours, from red, to blue to pink.
‘Since then, she’s been told to be very careful with the wound, but there’s been a couple of times where she’s ripped the skin with a nail while exercising and getting her muscle strength back – which isn’t pretty.’
Michelle claims that a slit in the Primark water bottle had caused boiling water to flood out and all the protective coating had worn off.
She claims to have purchased it from the brand a year ago and that the item has a warning label that says it must be replaced every two years due to deterioration from the inside worsening the quality.
Sydney was also left with painful burns on her hand and wrist after the water bottle exploded
The mother said: ‘Sydney will be scarred for life, but she’s persevered with the treatment, no matter how painful and her skin is getting better’
However, in a statement Primark stated that the label also includes a notice not to use boiling water.
The family has reportedly received £250 as a goodwill gesture from the company.
But they now hope to raise awareness to stop this from happening to someone else.
The mum-of-two said: ‘I’m so shocked, as I’ve always filled up hot water bottles straight from the kettle.
‘Now, we’re using microwavable wheat bags or TENS machines to help with period pains instead.
‘Sydney will be scarred for life, but she’s persevered with the treatment, no matter how painful and her skin is getting better.
‘It’s not been as easy as throwing out the hot water bottle and being done with it, as this will be a lifelong trauma she will have to deal with.
‘I had worried about how this would affect her mentally, but she’s been incredible and I couldn’t be more proud of how well she’s handled this, especially with such bravery.
‘If you do use a hot water bottle, please don’t use boiling water – it’s not worth the risk.’
Sydney added: ‘If I can help anybody and stop one person from filling up a hot water bottle straight from the kettle, then at least something positive has come out of what has happened to me.
‘I can’t change what happened, but I can work towards making a change for someone else.’
A spokesperson for Primark said: ‘We were very sorry to learn of this customer’s experience.
‘We take the safety and the quality of our products very seriously and all our hot water bottles have been tested to, and pass the UK and European standards for safety, quality and labelling.’
MailOnline has contacted Primark for comment.
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