Woman issues warning about wearing sanitary pads & using a heated blanket and the outcome leaves others ‘horrified’
A WOMAN has left people ''horrified'' after revealing why you should think twice about sleeping with a heated blanket when you're wearing pads.
As the nights are getting colder, many of us are turning to heated blankets to keep toasty at night without having to switch the central heating on.
But whilst the alternative may indeed slash the bills - according to experts, some of these cost just pennies per day to run - a woman has taken to TikTok to issue a stark warning about the gadget.
In a ''horrifying'' video shared on the platform, Hannah Rose, from the UK, explained how the cosy winter essential could lead to a painful visit to the A&E.
''This is a warning to anyone who wears pads and also owns an electric blanket.
''The highest heat setting on your electric blanket is hot enough to melt the plastic in your sanitary pads.
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''Don't ask me how I know that because I would rather not tell that story,'' she noted in the now-viral clip.
Not giving more detail, Hannah added in the caption: ''It's been a rough day today.
''This is probably an over share, soz.''
The mortifying clip, which has been viewed over 1.5million times in less than 24 hours, has left social media users ''horrified''.
One person exclaimed in sheer horror: I’m both horrified and grateful for this information.''
Another thanked Hannah, writing: ''Your sacrifice has undoubtedly saved others.''
''I'm gonna go turn off my electric blanket now, thank you,'' someone else chimed in.
''Some heroes save you because they have suffered, thank you our fallen soldier,'' a fourth penned.
''Reusable cloth pads,'' a cash-savvy social media user urged to ditch the regular pads for an eco-friendly alternative.
But what do the experts say? Although heated blankets have been around for a while, there is not much research into whether they're safe for days when you're wearing a sanitary pad.
The Sun found that the single-use plastic in period products is called SAPs (super-absorbent polymers) and it's designed to hold large quantities of liquid, Asan Cup reported.
SAPs, meanwhile, are usually made of sodium polyacrylate - a synthetic material that doesn't biodegrade.
But what's more, not only are SAPs bad for the environment and the ever-growing plastic crisis, experts at Springer noted that sodium polyacrylate starts to melt at just 26C.
Meanwhile, although temperatures on electric blankets tend to vary, they can go as high as 50C.
Doctors Eve Glazier and Elizabeth Ko warned that there are other reasons you shouldn't rely on heated blankets to stay warm.
Chatting with Spokesman, the two healthcare gurus said: ''One of the potential risks of using electric blankets is inadvertently overheating the body.
''Electric bedding should never be used for an infant or someone who is immobile.''
They went on: ''Less dramatic but still important is the potential for heated blankets to affect sleep.
''Numerous studies over the decades have shown that our core body temperature drops a few degrees as we sleep.
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''Lower body temperature has also been linked to a faster onset and better quality of sleep.
''By creating a continuously heated environment, electric blankets may interfere with the body’s nocturnal temperature cycles, thus interfering with sleep.''