With over a billion users worldwide, TikTok is undeniably one of the most popular social media platforms. I love its unique user-generated content in the form of short videos; that’s why it truly stands out from the rest of the platforms out there.
Every day, TikTok users come up with the most entertaining and innovative trends and challenges that are spread all around the globe. However, I’ve come across some bizarre challenges that could be very detrimental and dangerous. Check out the 15 most dangerous trends on TikTok and know why we shouldn’t be participating in these challenges anymore.
The Basketball Beer Challenge
I’ve never tried this challenge because I don’t have a basketball, but I’ve seen a lot of people do this challenge and spectacularly fail. The challenge involves a person holding a basketball with a bottle or can of beer on top.
Then, they drop the ball and bottle of beer and try to catch the beer as the ball bounces. This challenge gets extremely upsetting because most of the time, the person isn’t able to catch the beer and gets hit in the face instead. I’ve seen one user who got hit in the eye and started bleeding!
The Throw-It-In-the-Air Challenge
This challenge has been a hit for groups of friends who usually do this outdoors. I’ve personally seen some people do this around the neighborhood, where a group forms a circle and looks down to the ground towards a phone that’s recording.
Sounds pretty harmless, right? But then it gets crazy because someone throws an item in the air and the challenge is for the people to not flinch as it hits the ground (or someone else’s head!).
Honestly, this challenge was all fun and games until people started throwing heavy things such as books, rocks, and other things that could really hurt people’s heads!
The Penny Challenge
This is seriously one of the most dangerous challenges ever invented — and it’s really unbelievable why people even try it! The challenge involves dropping a penny in between the gap of a partly-plugged-in charger.
I don't think I have to explain why this is incredibly dangerous, but for those who are planning to do this, please don't if you don’t want your house burning into a crisp or having your sockets toasted.
The Stand-Up Challenge
The Stand Up challenge had been one of my most favorite TikTok videos to view until people who absolutely had no physical training and strength started joining in for the clout.
The challenge involves two people, with the first person laying face-down on the ground and the second on top of the person’s back. The first person will slowly stand up until the second person stands on their shoulders.
This is a really dangerous routine for people who are not specially trained gymnasts or athletes because they might end up with broken bones after the challenge.
The Filing Teeth Challenge
Another ridiculous challenge that originated on TikTok, the Filing Teeth challenge caused a surge of videos where people used a nail file to file their teeth. When I first saw this, I immediately knew that it was something dangerous because nail files are meant for nails!
Dentists and dental students were so alarmed that they posted videos explaining how this challenge can destroy their enamel and damage their teeth. Aside from that, doing so would feel uncomfortable because they might hit a nerve ending, too.
The Coronavirus Challenge
This challenge proves how crazy inappropriate people can get. At the height of the pandemic which spread across the entire globe in 2020, people started licking items found in public places such as elevator buttons, door handles, and other things.
Not only is this challenge extremely unhygienic and inappropriate, doing so could also make the person doing the challenge sick and could cause the spread of the virus.
I think people started doing this as a protest to the government and started a conspiracy theory of how the virus isn't true! We know how that turned out, right?
The Eye Challenge
This challenge seemed appealing to me at first because a lot of people showed videos of it working! The Eye Challenge encouraged TikTokers to mix jelly, hand sanitizer, shaving cream, and bleach in a Ziploc bag and hold it near their eye to change its color.
When my friend spilled the mixture on his eye and almost went blind, I realized how this challenge could be extremely dangerous. The alcohol in the sanitizer, as well as the bleach, could really cause damage when it comes in contact with one’s eyes.
The Kiki Challenge
This TikTok challenge was fun at first — I even tried it multiple times — but soon the challenge got out of control. The Kiki challenge requires a person to dance to the tune of Drake’s “In My Feelings” along an open car moving at a slow pace before jumping back into the car.
Some even took it to the extreme and get out of a moving car before dancing on the street. Obviously, this challenge is extremely dangerous and even resulted in people getting run over by cars.
The Blackout Challenge
The Blackout Challenge is undeniably one of the most dangerous TikTok challenges — it resulted in the death of a ten-year-old girl.
Popular with kids, the challenge involves holding one’s breath as long as you can to experience a sort of “high.”
One doesn’t need a degree in medicine to know why this challenge can be deadly; holding your breath can lead to serious repercussions and injuries. When I saw my niece attempting it, I immediately stopped her from doing it!
The Burning Pile Challenge
People are obsessed with transformation challenges! One transformation challenge that particularly stood out was the Burning Pile, where TikTok users transform into fierce and well-dressed people holding a lighter up their face in front of a mirror.
This had gone horribly wrong with some people, such as TikTok star Madi Monroe, whose hair got burnt because she held the lighter too close to her face.
I was tempted to join in the challenge, too, but after seeing Madi’s video, I decided not to and do another transformation video instead, like the classic Wipe It Down challenge!
The Sugar Wax Challenge
As a hairy gal, the Sugar Wax challenge seemed appealing to me at first. The trend shows users mixing sugar and lemon with hot water which creates a paste for waxing.
While this waxing technique had certainly been around in the past centuries, experts and dermatologists warned people of the results when done wrong (which most people did!). Experts said it could cause infections, scarring, and burns on the skin.
The Vampire Fangs Challenge
The Vampire Fangs Challenge was a hit for people with a fascination or obsession with the fictional creatures, vampires. Some people love vampires point that they will do anything to look like one.
The trend first started on Halloween of 2020 where people used superglue or nail glue to stick vampire fangs to their real teeth.
A dentist took the issue seriously and warned people that doing so will damage their teeth. I wouldn't recommend this challenge, either — my cousins joined in the challenge and accidentally swallowed some glue!
The Nutmeg Challenge
Another challenge that claims to bring whoever joins into a certain “high,” the Nutmeg challenge involves drinking milk or water with high concentrations of nutmeg powder.
While nutmeg is surely tasty, large amounts of nutmeg can cause hypothermia, hallucinations, and even death. Nothing is ever great when consumed in excessive quantities!
The Corn Cob Challenge
When I first watched the Corn Cob challenge, I wanted to try it out because I had everything I needed: a drill and a corn cob. But when I saw Jason Derulo’s video, I stopped my tracks because I didn't want to lose a tooth!
The challenge involves eating a corn cob placed on the drill, and it had gone wrong for Derulo when the drill spun too fast, causing him to chip his tooth.
The Full Face Wax Challenge
I’m sure that one's entire face does not need any waxing, especially the ears, the eyes, and the nose! I grew completely terrified when I saw videos of people getting wax mixtures poured over their entire faces.
This is dangerous because the skin in our faces is the thinnest and most sensitive, so waxing it could cause some serious damage to your cells.
Conclusion
TikTok is a fun platform for all ages, but caution and critical thinking must be exercised before joining in the fun. People should enjoy the app with challenges and trends that won't cause harm to anyone.
As a TikTok user, I advocate for a safe and healthy space for people to showcase their creativity and talents. Let’s do our part in doing so by being responsible users, watchers, followers, and creators!
