The hidden dangers of our favorite winter warmers

Japan has loads of clever ways to stay warm during winter, but a new survey is a reminder that some of these everyday comforts can come with risks.

A survey of 300 people published via PR Times late last month looked at experiences of low-temperature burns associated with popular winter warming products, including hot water bottles, disposable heat packs, electric blankets and kotatsu.

Low heating temperatures doesn't mean danger-free!

One pretty concerning finding was that 78.3% of people who had experienced a low-temperature burn delayed seeking medical attention because they initially didn't feel much pain.

I think it's a good reminder that burns don't always happen in the way we expect. Unlike contact with something extremely hot, a long exposure to a relatively low temperature still damages the skin but without that immediate pain.