Clinical Investigation of Burns from Caramelized Sugar Candy (Dalgona)

Abstract

Purpose: Dalgona, a kind of candy made of caramelized sugar, is a popular snack for children. Given the popularity of preparing dalgona, increasingly many patients are treated for burns sustained while preparing dalgona. We report the clinical features and dangers of burns from dalgona. Methods:We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 11 inpatients and outpatients who had been treated for burns they received while preparing dalgona from March 2020 to December 2020. The data reviewed were age, sex, the severity of the burn, the size and location of the burn, the type of treatment, and the place where the injury occurred. Results:The age of the patients ranged from 3 to 19 years, and the average age was 10.2 years (2 male, 9 female). Three patients had superficial second-degree burns, while eight had deep second-degree or third-degree burns. Most of the cases were treated with a local skin flap or skin graft. All the burned lesions were on the hands and feet. In all cases, the burns occurred at home due to accidental spillage. Conclusion:Most of the patients were children and teenagers, and they had serious burns. Therefore, we report these findings to emphasize the need for public awareness of the potential for burn injuries to occur during dalgona preparation. (J