Tiktok trends: Beer tanning, Angel of Death, Grimace Shake, NyQuil chicken and more daft and dangerous trends

Every day it seems there is a new TikTok trend; a challenge or an activity that has been highlighted by one video which has gone viral. Other users are encouraged to try the activity or challenge for themselves, and so the trend grows larger and larger.

Many, such as the new McDonald’s Grimace shake trend and the frozen woman video, are harmless - if a bit weird. There are also some that claim to be good for your wellbeing but actually aren’t such as the egg diet and mouth taping during sleep. There are also some which are a bit daft such as Jasper the doll and eating oranges in the shower. And then there are some which are downright dangerous and could cause serious damage or even cost a person their life. Over the past few years, there have been many odd trends which have had terrible consequences.

TikTok themselves state that their community guidelines prohibit dangerous challenges. A statement on their website reads: “Online challenges or dares typically involve people recording themselves doing something difficult, which they share online to encourage others to repeat. The majority are fun and safe, but some promote harmful behaviours including the risk of serious injury”. The platform also advises people to think about whether or not what they are seeing is harmful or safe and then act accordingly and not mimic what they see if they are unsure.

Please be aware that experts advise that you should not follow any of these trends, especially without seeking advice from a medical professional first where applicable, as they may cause injury, mental or physical health issues and in some cases they could even be fatal.

The beer tanning trend

One of the latest strange trends is the beer tanning trend, in which TikTok users have been pouring beer on themselves before heading outside for an afternoon of sunbathing, all in an attempt to get a quicker and deeper tan. It appears that some people were using the beer in addition to suncream, but some were forgoing it in favour of the beer.

Sun protection expert Stefano Pietrini explained that the hops in beer supposedly increase the production of melanin in the body, which leads to a tan, however he warned that this doesn’t mean that beer is a suitable tanning product. In fact, he said, any method used to accelerate tanning actually does more harm than good and will result in permanent skin damage. 

“Using beer to tan, especially without SPF, significantly raises the risk of sunburn, heatstroke and, with continued use, premature ageing. Without SPF it only takes 10 minutes in the sun to start burning. Over time this poses the risk of skin cancer.”

In addition to the health risks, covering your body in beer is likely to be an unpleasant experience as it leaves a sticky residue on the skin. This will not only cause sand to stick to you but it will also attract a range of unwanted insects.

NyQuil chicken trend

In autumn 2022, videos of people covering their chicken in NyQuil, an over the counter cold medicine, went viral. The trend was also known as ‘sleepy chicken’ because of the potential side effects of the medicine. It’s not entirely clear why people wanted their chicken to taste like medicine, or if they were actually eating the chicken once it had been cooked, but the videos were so popular it led to the Food and Drug Administration to issue a warning about the trend.

A statement released in September said: “The challenge sounds silly and unappetising – and it is. But it could also be very unsafe. Boiling a medication can make it much more concentrated and change its properties in other ways. Even if you don’t eat the chicken, inhaling the medication’s vapours while cooking could cause high levels of the drugs to enter your body. It could also hurt your lungs.”

The penny challenge

In early 2020, people tried to give themselves mild electric shocks by plugging their phone chargers half way into a socket and then placing a penny coin in between the socket and the charger. The idea was that when the penny came into contact with the metal prongs this would cause sparks and give the person holding the coin a mild shock. That was intended to be thrilling, but the actual consequences could have been much worse for both the person carrying out the challenge and their property.

Thomas Faver, Director of Faver Electrical Services, told NationalWorld: “The danger is that if you touch one prong and it’s earthed the current will go through you and potentially kill you. Touching both prongs to create a spark can cause fires, electrocution and possibly death. In addition, this will cause overload to the mains electric which could cause damage to the consumer unit - and that will cost money to fix. This is a pointless activity which will cause problems and injury.”

The coronavirus challenge

In March 2020, the world experienced its first health pandemic in a generation, coronavirus. Businesses were shut down overnight and people were asked to stay indoors and not mix with others in an effort to stop the spread of the disease, which could be fatal. But, while most of us were doing our best to avoid this terrible disease, there were people who were actively seeking it out. 

People filmed themselves licking all sorts of unsanitary places in an effort to catch Covid-19, including one teen who recorded himself licking a toilet seat in a public restroom, who then reportedly did fall ill with the disease.

When you search for the trend now on TikTok there is a safety message which appears. It reads: “Verify COVID info and vaccine guidance from trusted sources. At TikTok, we value creativity and expression, but also authenticity and integrity. Follow our Community Guidelines when creating, viewing or interacting with COVID-related content. If you see something that you think might violate our guidelines, report it immediately. Thank you for helping us keep TikTok safe.”

The morning after pill trend

Three years ago, some TikTokers were convinced they had found the morning after pill hidden within a pregnancy test. The trend involved girls splitting open the test and swallowing the tablet they found inside, which they claimed was emergency contraception. Presumably, they thought this saved them from the embarrassment of having to go to the pharmacy to request the pill from a pharmacist. But, the tablet is actually a desiccant tablet used to absorb moisture in the pregnancy test and not a form of emergency birth control at all. 

Makers of pregnancy tests Clearblue issued a statement warning people against this trend. "Clearblue pregnancy tests do not contain Plan B. All our tests contain a small desiccant tablet which is included to absorb moisture and should not be eaten." They also add that anyone who has eaten the pill should seek medical attention. They say "If accidentally ingested please seek medical advice.”

Angel of death challenge

This trend, which was popular during summer 2022, involved people jumping out in front of moving vehicles, usually trucks, and hoping that they would stop in time to prevent them from being hit and seriously injured or worse, killed. At least two teens were reportedly killed in Indonesia while attempting to film themselves carrying out this challenge. When you search for the trend now on TikTok no videos are visible and instead a message about safety is presented. It reads: “Some online challenges can be dangerous, disturbing, or even fabricated. Learn how to recognise harmful challenges so you can protect your health and well-being.”

Fire mirror challenge

This challenge originated in 2021 and saw people creating shapes on their bathroom mirrors using a flammable liquid, for example hairspray, and then setting it alight in a dark room. The danger with this trend is that people are risking setting fire to their homes and also to themselves.

A 13-year-old American girl called Destini Crane was admitted to the intensive care unit of her local hospital with severe burns on her neck and down her arms after participating in the trend as she accidentally lit herself on fire, as well as the shape on the mirror, as reported by ABC7.

A spokesperson for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue told NationalWorld that trends involving setting flammable liquids such as aerosols alright are “very worrying”. They added: “The consequences can be severe and put lives unnecessarily at risk. We advise that all aerosols should be stored and disposed of carefully and kept away from sources of ignition at all times.”

Users who search for this trend now are also presented with the same safety message described above.

Scarf challenge

Earlier this year, people were filming themselves trying a scarf around their neck to see how long they could hold their breath for. A 16-year-old French girl called Christy Sibali Dominique Gloire Gassaille died while attempting the scarf challenge. According to reports, she was trying the challenge in May when she accidentally asphyxiated herself. 

GP Ross Perry called the challenge “one of the worst TikTok trends” he’s been made aware of. He told NationalWorld: “I’m shocked it’s even in the public domain as even attempting to do this is beyond dangerous and stupid. Other than stating the obvious that the worse-case scenario, which we’ve become aware of is fatal, it can also cause breathing difficulties in the short and long term, brain injuries including memory problems, internal injuries which may not become immediately apparent, sore throat, difficulty with swallowing, bruising, nausea, fainting and neck pain.”

Users who search for this trend now are also presented with the same safety message described above.