When a gynecologist saw users taking part in a woman-only dare that was quite bizarre, she knew she had to say something before someone got severely injured. What could she have found online to make her stand up and speak her mind? You’ve got to continue reading to learn all about this scary situation!
Not Too Bad
TikTok doesn’t seem too bad initially. Those with children have probably seen new dances, funny videos, and gaming clips. It’s all pretty harmless! However, it’s not those everyday, regular videos you must worry about when it comes to children and some adults.
Not Too Bad
The Challenges
Those lip-sync videos on TikTok might look silly, and they’re innocent enough. However, you have to watch out for the challenges, especially if you have an impressionable young person in your life. Some of them are all right, but others are dangerous!
The Challenges
Hot Pepper Challenge
Have you heard of the hot-pepper challenge? It requires the participant to film themselves while eating a habanero, ghost pepper, or scotch bonnet. The heat from these spicy peppers is difficult to deal with, but most people survive without any real injuries.
Hot Pepper Challenge
Ice Cube Challenge
The gynecologist was concerned about the ice cube challenge, which is quite weird. However, these strange fads often get the most attention. This particular challenge has been seen too much, and many people tried it because of the videos.
Ice Cube Challenge
Tide Pod Challenge
This isn’t the first time that young people have tried strange online challenges to get extra views and likes. You’ve probably heard of the Tide Pod challenge. In that craze, children had to eat (or at least pretend to eat) Tide Pods, which is highly dangerous.
Tide Pod Challenge
Candy-like Appearance
It likely started because the Tide Pods look like candy. However, they don’t taste good and are very bad for you. YouTube exploded with videos of teens and young children who appeared to consume the pods. However, many just pretended to do so.
Candy-like Appearance
The Charade
New Statesman, a political magazine, claimed that only 86 young adults consumed Tide Pods. However, many participated in the charade. As the gynecologist did for the ice cube challenge, Procter & Gamble, the owner of Tide Pods, warned people against doing it.
The Charade
Shell-on Challenge
Clearly, eating laundry detergent can be deadly, and that was the reason behind the fuss. However, the dangers didn’t end there. You might have seen the shell-on challenge from Snapchat in 2019. It wasn’t as lethal as consuming Tide Pods, but you still don’t want your kids doing it.
Shell-on Challenge
The Yuck Factor
During the shell-on challenge, you had to eat something without removing the outer shell. Usually, that included eating an orange or banana with the skin on. However, children took this dare further than it was intended.
The Yuck Factor
Packaging Problems
People counted the inedible packaging around Twinkies and crackers as a shell, too. Even if a product was wrapped in cardboard or plastic, it was eaten whole, or so it seemed. However, there was a twist involved!
Packaging Problems
The Twist
People were filming themselves biting into a packaged food, but most of the videos ended there. You didn’t see them chew or swallow the inedible items because it was left to your imagination. That was a little better, but some people really did the ice cube challenge!
The Twist
Not the Ice Bucket Challenge
Don’t get the ice cube and ice bucket challenges mixed up. In the past, people dumped ice water on themselves to help raise money for the ALS. It worked beautifully because over $220 million got donated to the cause.
Not the Ice Bucket Challenge
Harmless vs. Dangerous
Yes, the two challenges are very different. The ice bucket challenge was harmless and promoted awareness for a horrible disease. However, the other dare could send you to the emergency room. The gynecologist says that anyway.
Harmless vs. Dangerous
No Promotion
You likely won’t see a celebrity promoting the ice cube challenge, even though they did so for the mannequin challenge. We’re talking about the time when everyone stood still in poses to make them look like those department store dummies!
No Promotion
Sports Teams and More
Most people saw the NFL sports teams doing this mannequin challenge. However, Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, and Adele also took part. Who knew that Mr. McCartney liked to have fun every so often?!
Sports Teams and More
Before TikTok
Those challenges came before TikTok, though. In fact, you aren’t likely to see someone stand still on this app. They’re always lip-syncing, dancing, and acting out skits, which makes it fun. That’s why the app is so popular, and many celebrities get in on the action.
Before TikTok
Reese Witherspoon Gets Schooled
Reese Witherspoon asked her son to do a TikTok video, explaining the platform and purpose to her. This mother and son posted clips of them doing the dance challenge together. It was a sight to see for sure!
Reese Witherspoon Gets Schooled
Will Smith
You also see Will Smith, and his post was neat. This actor collaborated with Caleb Natale, an FX guru, to make it appear like he was snatched out of his phone and plunked down into a room. The confused Smith said, “I’m on TikTok now, I guess.”
Will Smith
Her Own Challenge
One star decided to create her own challenge. After the Super Bowl halftime show, Jennifer Lopez asked TikTok followers to recreate a part of the medley she did on stage. It was a hoot to watch, and the TikTokers came together to make it happen.
Her Own Challenge
Hard to Resist
When celebrities encourage young people to do these challenges, it’s often hard to resist. There is a huge amount of pressure on TikTok, just as there is in physical locations where kids congregate. You risk missing out if you don’t do the latest thing!
Hard to Resist
Can’t Say No
When peer pressure is the influence for these viral challenges, it’s hard to say no. An engaged audience adds that extra bit of thrill in completing your dare. Plus, you might get likes and followers, especially when the craze catches on!
Can’t Say No
Be Aware and Fearful
You should very much be aware of the ice cube challenge. It all started innocently, as many of them do. However, it went on a dicey path early on. Therefore, when a medical professional heard about it, she decided to speak up.
Be Aware and Fearful
What Happens
To start off, the ice cube challenge involved the TikTok users putting pieces of ice inside their bodies, such as in the mouth or ears. Then, they filmed their reaction. However, female users are taking this idea to the extreme!
What Happens
X-Rated
You might have guessed what they do, but the ice cube challenge is now X-rated. Yes, some TikTok women have decided it’s a good idea to insert ice pieces into their private parts. It hurts for most people to even think about it!
X-Rated
Don’t Forget to Film
There’s something else you must know about this challenge. Remember that part of this craze is to film the entire thing. Therefore, if you put an ice cube down below, you have to show it all to the world, and that’s a little risque.
Don’t Forget to Film
No Naughtiness on TikTok
Thankfully, TikTok doesn’t allow X-rated videos. Therefore, the girl’s reaction is put on camera, which means it could just be an act. Perhaps it’s similar to the shell-on challenge where folks only pretended to do it. However, there is evidence that women are really doing this challenge!
No Naughtiness on TikTok
Expressive Reactions
No videos show what happens down below, but the women’s neck-up reaction seems very expressive to doubt they’ve done it. Some medical professionals are now concerned about how far participants take this dare and have spoken up about it.
Expressive Reactions
The Claims
Many women tell followers that the ice helps tighten up the downstairs area. Others suggest that ice cubes prevent or assist with infections because the cold offers a holistic benefit. Medical professionals had to try to disprove those claims!
The Claims
Hijacking the Hashtag
Staci Tanouye, a gynecologist, critiqued this ice cube challenge, explaining that the trend could be dangerous. Externally, ice was fine, and she believes it’s best to wash with only water. However, acidity levels in the vagina paired with water could be an issue for intimate health.
Hijacking the Hashtag
Another Gynecologist Speaks Up
Dr. Jennifer Lincoln, a fellow gynecologist, agreed with Dr. Tanouye. She’d also seen claims that TikTok users made about using ice cubes in private areas. She used this to address myths that some girls were starting.
Another Gynecologist Speaks Up
What She Said
Dr. Lincoln said that she realized women got bored, hadn’t left the house in a week, and wanted to get a little action. They put the ice cube in their privates, and that’s fine. However, she said it sarcastically to help debunk the misconceptions people had.
What She Said
Foreplay
Dr. Lincoln talked about ice being used during foreplay, with some criticism. Her response to that was, “Whatever gets you off.” However, ice cubes might have sharp edges, especially as they melt. You don’t want to get cuts down there!
Foreplay
Mental Health Problems
Then, Dr. Lincoln saw people claiming that this ice cube challenge might help with mental health problems. She had to debunk that myth, too. According to what she saw on TikTok, people claimed ice helped with anxiety and depression, but it doesn’t!
Mental Health Problems
Self-Pleasure Does
Ice cubes themselves can’t cure mental health problems, but self-pleasure might. Masturbation has positive health benefits, including relaxation, better moods, and stress relief. However, the ice cube challenge isn’t a miracle cure, and mental illnesses have many triggers.
Self-Pleasure Does
Tightness Down There
Dr. Lincoln couldn’t ignore the claim of ice cubes tightening the vagina. She was actually concerned that people bought into that idea. She minced no words when she asked how. It’s not going to freeze the vagina into a tighter shape!
Tightness Down There
Treating Warts
Some TikTok users claimed that ice cubes could treat warts. However, Dr. Lincoln said that it doesn’t do any of those things. Freezing warts is one method of removal, but doctors often use liquid nitrogen, which is much colder than ice.
Treating Warts
Treat Health Problems
Dr. Tanouye addressed the myth of ice treating health problems in the vagina. She told people that water features a neutral pH, and the vagina is more acidic. If that’s altered, it might lead women to getting more infections!
Treat Health Problems
Ice Is Great Sometimes
Dr. Lincoln ultimately said that ice cubes are great for smoothies and beverages. However, she reminded people of pre-school times when one kid stuck a bead up the nose, then another person did it, and then finally, the third child ends up in the ER. Think before doing crazy things!
Ice Is Great Sometimes
Upshot to the Challenge
The gynecologist’s videos went viral, which helped to tell followers what they shouldn’t do. These ladies cleared up myths and use TikTok as a way to educate women on their feminine health. See, TikTok can be a good thing!
Upshot to the Challenge
Warm Water
If you want a medically approved way to boost your physical and mental well-being, you don’t need ice. Incorporating heated water into your morning routine might have significant benefits to your overall health!
Warm Water