I spent thousands at doctors before I realized my painful symptoms were because of an embarrassing mistake

Feel the burn.

An Australian woman says that she spent a small fortune seeking treatment for painful symptoms, only to realize they were entirely self-inflicted.

“If you ever feel embarrassed about anything, ever, just know that I spent hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, going to dermatologists, doctors, getting biopsies, getting tested for a variety of autoimmune diseases and kidney failure,” Lauren Lily said.

She was shocked and ashamed to eventually learn that her painful, burning symptoms were the result of one consistent mistake.

“I was actually burning myself with a hot water bottle every single night in my sleep,” she confessed in a TikTok video.

When the hot flash of knowledge was delivered, Lily recalled her first appointment with a dermatologist, where his simple question made her incredulous.

“He said, ‘Are you sure you’re not burning yourself with anything?’ And I said to myself, ‘No, I would know if I was burning myself. Thank you so much, sir.”

But it turns out she was wrong and didn’t realize her mistake for months.

“And you continue to give yourself third-degree burns where you now have holes in your body because you consistently use the same hot water bottle that was just burning through the cover every night,” she said.

Lily’s symptoms are consistent with what board-certified dermatologist Dr. Mark Strom calls “toasted skin syndrome,” a little-known but particularly nasty side effect of heat exposure caused by hot water bottles and heating pads.

“Many don’t realize that you actually need to be very careful about chronic heat exposure to your skin,” he said. “Even heat exposure that’s not causing any pain at the time or burning, because long-term heat exposure can lead to a permanent rash and discoloration.”

This condition is called erythema ab igne, also known as “EAI,” or “fire stains.”

Erythema ab igne — Latin for “redness from fire” — was once common among bakers, cooks and industrial workers who were chronically exposed to heat for long periods, as well as people who sat in front of a stove in their homes or by an open fire to get warm.

The classic EAI symptom is a rash that forms in a “lace-like” pattern; it may begin as pink and eventually turn red, purple, or brown.

EAI may itch, burn, or tingle and can be difficult to distinguish from rashes caused by skin cancer.

“If you start to notice discoloration on your skin, you want to stop the heat exposure ASAP, hopefully before the discoloration becomes permanent,” said Strom.

Middle-aged women, especially those who are overweight, are disproportionately affected by EAI. Treatment usually involves staying away from the heat source. The rash tends to go away on its own. In rare instances, it could cause scarring and raise the risk of skin cancer.

Retinoid cream, derived from vitamin A, may help ease symptoms.

Lily left off with the hope that her story of unknowing burning would help ease the shame of others: “So, just don’t feel embarrassed is what I’m trying to say.”

Commenters were quick to commiserate, sharing their humiliating medical emergencies, including many who had made the same hot water bottle misstep.

“This is literally me. It was on my arm and chest, and I went to get tested for autoimmune diseases. Turned out to be my hot water bottle I slept with,” said a fellow burned beauty.

“I thought I had a melanoma, but it was just a bruise from falling asleep on a button,” confessed one viewer.

“I went to the doctor as I had a lump on my side and it turned out to be my hip bone,” said another.

“Newly married, new bedding, I developed a rash on my arms and legs. Husband suggests blanket allergy, my snarky reply: “Nobody’s allergic to blankets”. My name must be nobody because I’m allergic to blankets,” shared another.