A woman suffered second-degree burns after shapewear purchased from TikTok Shop reportedly 'melted' into her skin. Molly-May Watson, a 27-year-old executive assistant from Kennington, south London, bought the £8.57 'Spanx-like' shorts in May 2024 from a seller named MOONGIRL-UK on the social media platform's shop.

The incident occurred on July 27, 2024, when Molly-May wore the shorts for the first time under a dress while attending her sister's baby shower. She described feeling a sudden 'burning' sensation on her upper right thigh, initially mistaking it for a bee sting. Upon rushing to the bathroom, she discovered the elastane stretchy material of the shorts had seemingly 'melted' into her skin, forcing her to rip them off.

The following day, Molly-May sought medical attention at St Thomas' Hospital in London, where she was informed that she could be 'scarred for life' as a result of the first and second-degree burns. Medical professionals at the hospital noted the unusual nature of the injury, stating, 'it's strange, we don't really know if it's a heat burn or a chemical reaction.'

Following the traumatic experience, Molly-May lodged a complaint with TikTok Shop through its help function, providing photographs of her burns and the damaged shorts. After communication with an agent, she was offered a refund for the shorts and a £10 coupon as compensation. Molly-May found this offer 'insulting' and declined the coupon, asserting she would never shop from such third-party sellers again.

Molly-May noted that she could no longer find the seller, MOONGIRL-UK, on Google, which led her to question the legitimacy of the vendor from the outset. She also shared that friends and colleagues had experienced similar irritations from budget or third-party sellers of similar products, reinforcing her cautionary stance. The incident has left her unable to walk properly at times and has necessitated her working from home during her recovery, with doctors advising her to monitor for any changes.

In response to the complaint, TikTok confirmed that the listing and the seller's page had been removed from the platform in June of the previous year. A spokesperson for TikTok also stated that the company had already responded to the complaint and provided compensation to the buyer.