Long Island Plastic Surgeons Offer Safety Tips for Homemade Slime

GARDEN CITY, NY--(Marketwired - May 16, 2017) - Making homemade "slime" has become an extremely popular pastime for children and adolescents. This play material is pliable and can be made in a variety of ways with different colors and ingredients. According to the doctors at Long Island Plastic Surgical Group (LIPSG), this slime craze can be a harmless and enjoyable activity, but depending on certain factors, the material may have hidden dangers. Recent reports have revealed children suffering from chemical burns due to the ingredients in their homemade slime recipes -- with one of the most common active ingredients being the household cleaner known as Borax.

After reading an article about a young girl who developed second- and third-degree burns, and witnessing his niece playing with the popular slime, Dr. Brian A. Pinsky, a plastic surgeon at LIPSG, was inspired to create awareness and promote a safer slime recipe. He emphasizes the need to avoid ingredients that may irritate or burn the skin, such as Borax or detergent. "Although homemade slime can be a fun sensory activity for kids, parents should be mindful of the safety of the ingredients being used," says Dr. Pinsky. Instead of using Borax, he suggests seeking safer alternatives. The recipe he recommends involves a mixture of shampoo, glue, and baby powder -- with other add-ins like food coloring, glitter, and liquid watercolors.

Aside from finding a safer homemade slime recipe, the surgeons at LIPSG offer these safety tips:

• Wash hands after use to remove potential chemical residue.
• Beware of any itching or burning after playing with slime.
• If discomfort occurs, avoid using soap, as this can weaken the skin's protective layer.
• Contact the child's physician should there be any signs of a burn.
• Minor burns should be cared for with an ointment such as Vaseline or bacitracin.

Should a child develop alkaline burns from playing with slime, the LIPSG doctors stress the importance of seeking immediate medical attention to prevent further damage. The practice's on-call service, known as Dr. STITCH, is available 24/7, and if someone calls the service with an urgent need, such as a burn, one of the plastic surgeons will meet the patient at the emergency room or one of the practice's nearby office locations.

About Long Island Plastic Surgical Group

Long Island Plastic Surgical Group is the oldest and largest private and academic plastic surgery practice in the country. The team is composed of 20 plastic surgeons with over 200 years of combined experience. In addition to Dr. STITCH, the surgeons at LIPSG operate Deep Blue Med Spa, offering clinically proven skin care services. The main office facility for LIPSG is located in Garden City, NY, and the doctors also help patients at additional offices in East Hills, Babylon, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Flushing, and Huntington. The doctors are available for interview upon request.

The practice can be reached online at lipsg.com or drstitch.com.

To view the original source of this press release, click here: http://www.drstitch.com/press-release/long-island-plastic-surgeons-offer-safety-tips-for-homemade-slime/