A man faces a five-week stint in hospital after he endured chemical burns on his groin from a hair removal cream.
William Bishop decided to remove the hair from his delicate area in case 'anything good happened' on an upcoming first date on July 27.
The property developer, of Cheltenham, admitted to using a cream meant for the body and legs, which he also left on for twice the recommended time.
Two days later, Mr Bishop, 26, was in A&E with 'a hole in his crotch' and had to be transferred to a burns unit.
Barely able to walk, sleep or sit, Mr Bishop has been in hospital for two weeks while doctors try to reduce his risk of infection. It could be another three weeks before he is allowed home.
William Bishop (left) faces weeks in hospital after he endured chemical burns on his groin (right). The 26-year-old applied body hair removal cream to his private area in preparation for a date. After leaving it on for twice as long as it should be, blisters developed along his groin
Hair-removal creams typically contain a host of alkaline chemicals that break down a protein called keratin in the hair.
This thins and dissolves the base of the hair to the point it is weak enough to be broken off when the cream is wiped away.
Leaving the cream on too long can cause the chemicals to trigger a reaction or even burns.
'I was getting ready for a date that night, so I decided to get prepared - just in case anything good happened,' Mr Bishop said.
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Mr Bishop turned to Veet's Body and Legs Hair Removal Cream, which he used around six months earlier with no problem.
'I applied the hair removal cream to my lower half,' he said. 'I left it on for around 10 minutes and it felt rather sore when I took it off.
'Potentially I left it on for longer than I should have, as I was applying it to a larger area.'
Veet recommends users apply the cream for three-to-six minutes after doing a 'patch test'.
Mr Bishop initially ignored the stinging feeling, which then became increasingly painful.
This prompted him to tell his date, who he met on a night out, that he'd had an 'accident' and would have to rearrange.
'It wasn't until two days later I saw it had burned a hole in my crotch,' he said.
'Initially I found the whole thing funny, until I realised how bad it is. The pain and discomfort it has caused is far from funny.'
Mr Bishop took himself to Southmead Hospital A&E, which led to him being transferred to its specialist burns unit.
'It's been extremely painful because of where it is,' he said. I can barely walk, sleep, or sit.
'Hospital staff have been treating the wound, and done everything they can to minimise infection, though it's still pretty bad.
'They have been daily cleaning and dressing it, and have applied a cooling cream. I can't really do anything here. I'm really hoping to be released soon.'
Barely able to walk, sleep or sit, Mr Bishop has been in hospital for two weeks while doctors try to reduce his risk of infection. It could be another three weeks before he is allowed home
Mr Bishop noticed the cream 'burned a hole in his crotch' two days after he applied it
Despite not following the product's instructions, Mr Bishop has a slight resentment against Veet.
'I'm shocked that such bad injury can occur from a product readily available,' he said. 'If you deviated slightly from the instructions, you can cause serious damage.'
A spokesperson for Reckitt Benckiser, which makes Veet, said: 'We are sorry to hear of the reaction a customer has had to a Veet hair removal cream product and we wish the gentleman a speedy recovery as soon as possible.
'As the health and safety of our consumers is a top priority for us, we ensure all Veet products meet stringent safety standards.
'We strongly recommend customers read and follow all the instructions on the packaging and product labels for safe use.
'Although it's rare, if customers experience a reaction to the product we advise they seek advice from a healthcare professional.'
BURNS - WHAT ARE THEY, AND HOW DO YOU TREAT THEM?
Burns are damage to the skin caused by dry heat, such as an iron or a fire.
This is different to scalds, which occur due to wet heat like hot water or steam.
Burns can be very painful and may cause:
- Red or peeling skin
- Blisters
- Swelling
- White or charred skin
But the amount of pain a person feels is not always related to how serious the burn is.
Even a very serious burn can be painless.
To treat a burn:
- Remove the heat source
- Cool with cool or lukewarm running water for 20 minutes. Do not use ice
- Remove any nearby clothing or jewellery unless it is stuck to the skin
- Keep the person warm with a blanket
- Cover the burn with clingfilm
- Use painkillers like paracetamol if necessary
- If the face or eyes are burnt, keep sitting up to reduce swelling
Burns that require immediate A&E treatment are:
- Chemical or electrical
- Large or deep - bigger than the injured person's hand
- Those that cause white or charred skin
- Those on the face, hands, limbs, feet or genitals that blister
Pregnant women, children under five, the elderly, those with a weak immune system and people suffering from a medical condition, like diabetes, should also go to hospital.
Treatment depends on what layers of the skin are affected.
In severe cases, a skin graft may be required.
Source: NHS Choices
