San Francisco experienced some record-breaking low temperatures this winter.
Local reports from December say the city broke a 103-year record for its lowest temperature since 1922, with a high of 50 degrees.
What helps with the kind of cold you don’t expect? A nice, cozy heated blanket. That’s what one San Francisco TikToker relied on for warmth, only to realize there can be unexpected side effects.
In her clip, TikTok creator Cecilia (@cclia.spam) first films her horrified facial expression before turning the camera toward her legs.
Her thighs appear slightly inflamed, with red and purplish patches across the skin.
“Your sign to stop using a heated blanket cuz I did not notice I’m starting to get the thing where you literally bake your skin,” she wrote in the video’s text overlay.
She added in the caption, “I rather suffer in the cold than have these stupid purple lines on my legs.”
Commenters Share Advice on Using Heated Blankets
In the comments section, some viewers said they had no idea this could happen, while others shared their advice and experiences.
“You’re supposed to turn it off before you fall asleep man,” one user wrote.
“I’m gonna pretend I didn’t see this as I’m laying with my thousand degree heated blanket rn,” another stated.
“We are just meat at the end of the day,” a third chimed in.
“The rules of a heated blanket state that you cannot sleep with it on, and you don’t leave it on the highest setting,” a fourth commenter wrote. “Your supposed to put it at the highest setting to warm it up, then turn it down to a lower setting for when you’re actually using it.”
Others warned that the discoloration might be unrelated to the heated blanket.
“Pay attention if it happens without the blanket too,” one commenter wrote. “Always had my legs look like this from blood pooling/curculation or from being super cold since I was little.”
What Causes the Skin Condition?
According to a report by Harvard Health Publishing, the condition may be what’s known as toasted skin syndrome, which can develop from repeated low-level exposure to heat sources. These can include items such as laptops, heating pads, heated car seats, or sitting too close to a space heater.
While the temperature of these items is generally not high enough to burn the skin, they can cause the superficial blood vessels underneath to dilate. Over time, this can lead to visible skin discoloration.
According to a blog post by Permanente Medicine, it is still possible to use heated blankets without developing toasted skin syndrome.
A dermatologist writing for the medical group recommends using the lowest possible setting and limiting the duration of use when using heating pads or electric blankets.
This isn’t the first time a woman has gone viral for toasted skin syndrome. In a story The Mary Sue covered, one TikToker sounded the alarm after her friend’s back was extremely toasted because of her heated blanket. Long story short, she didn’t stop using it.
@cclia.spam I rather suffer in the cold than have these stupid purple lines on my legs ? #heatedblanket #skin #legs #acbxyz #lifehack ♬ original sound – Arden Jones
The Mary Sue has reached out to Cecilia via TikTok messages for comment and additional information.
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