Microwaving NeeDoh Toys Sparks Burn Injuries Among Children

Across the United States, children are sustaining burns after placing NeeDoh gel-filled sensory toys in microwaves to soften them. The heated gel can explode, coating skin with a viscous, boiling substance that adheres to tissue. Injuries range from superficial redness to fluid-filled blisters and deeper burns that may scar the face, hands, laps, or arms.

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The practice gained traction after videos on YouTube and TikTok demonstrated the “softening” trick. Parents report that their children learned the method from peers at school or from online clips. TikTok now displays a safety warning for searches related to microwaving NeeDoh toys, and YouTube has removed videos that violate its harmful-or-dangerous content policy.

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Dr. Emily Werthman, manager of the Johns Hopkins Burn Center, estimates she has treated about a dozen NeeDoh-related burns in recent months. She notes that similar “handfuls” are being reported at burn centers nationwide, which together represent a growing national injury pattern. Pediatric emergency physicians at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Nationwide Children’s Hospital confirm that the sticky gel complicates wound care, often requiring both burn treatment and thorough removal of the residue.

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Schylling, the maker of NeeDoh toys, includes explicit warnings on packaging: “DO NOT cut open, eat, heat, freeze, or microwave; may cause personal injury.” CFO Meghann Ellis reiterated that misuse is dangerous and that the company is collaborating with TikTok to remove encouraging content. The Consumer Product Safety Commission declined to comment on whether it will open an investigation. Social-media platforms report that flagged videos have been taken down, and the company’s public statements emphasize adherence to safety instructions.

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Pediatric physicians stress that children’s thinner skin makes them especially vulnerable to rapid heat injury. Dr. Michael Cooper of Northwell’s Staten Island University Hospital warned that brief contact with hot gel can cause significant tissue damage. Dr. Leah Middleberg compared the phenomenon to past viral challenges such as the “cinnamon challenge,” urging parents to monitor online viewing and discuss the risks of copying internet trends.

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Whitney Hand of Atlanta described the moment her fifth-grader screamed after a NeeDoh SplootSplat exploded in the microwave, noting the gel “pulled her skin off.” Hand’s daughter required ointment and pain medication at home, but the facial burn left mild scarring. In New Mexico, Katie Spence recounted her 13-year-old daughter’s third-degree burns after the toy overheated in a car and burst when squeezed, prompting an emergency-room visit.

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While some families, like the Hands, received care at home, medical experts advise that burns on the face, hands, or lap area warrant emergency evaluation. The CPSC has not confirmed an investigation, leaving regulatory oversight unclear. Additionally, data on the total number of incidents remain fragmented, as burn centers report only anecdotal case counts.

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• “It was a sound I’d never heard her make before, and she just kept screaming, ‘Mom!,’ so I went in there, and I didn’t really understand what was going on at first, but she was clearly in a ton of pain,” — Whitney Hand

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• “We’ve seen a handful of these cases just in our burn center alone, and if you ask burn centers throughout the country, they will tell you the same thing,” — Dr. Emily Werthman

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• “Misusing a NeeDoh® product by microwaving, heating, or freezing is dangerous and could cause injury to the consumer.” — Meghann Ellis, CFO, Schylling

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• “The problem is when it’s a sticky residue, it’s hard to actually get that material off very quickly,” — Maneesha Agarwal, MD

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• “The dangers of these challenges seem pretty obvious to adults, but we always have to remember that, you know, kids have been doing risky things for a long time, but it’s just now these bad ideas really spread wider and faster online,” — Dr. Leah Middleberg

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Schylling says it will continue working with social-media platforms to flag unsafe content and urges parents to review product warnings with their children. No further regulatory actions have been announced.

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