Rhiannon Ingle
An 11-year-old girl has been let 'scarred for life' after using nail glue that she bought online.
Stacey Norris, 38, was watching her daughter, Chloe Norris, apply fake nails using the bonding nail glue bought from Temu's online website when some of the product came into contact with her hands.
However, mere moments later, Stacey said her daughter was 'screaming in pain' and complained that her skin was 'burning' during the incident last month.
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Stacey, who hails from the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, recalled: "Chloe only managed to put one nail on her finger before the nail glue must have fallen and gone onto her skin.
"She started screaming and said 'it's burning, it's burning'.
"Chloe was so distressed and upset. After 20 minutes of putting it under water, we dabbed it dry and put some antiseptic cream on it.
"Where the burns were on both hands it had turned white and at first we thought this is where the nail glue [had dried].
"It wasn't until the next morning when Chloe woke up with giant blisters on her hands.
"The blisters had just kept growing and growing all day and reached about 6 cm in length. They had ballooned on both of her hands."
At the hospital, the doctors told Stacey that the nail glue had actually burnt through 'every layer of skin' and they said it was the 'worst kind of burn it could be'.
"The burn went right down to her nerve and when they touched the white bit of her hand Chloe couldn't feel anything so it had actually damaged her nerves in her hand," she carried on.
After seeking further medical attention at the Queen Victoria Hospital in West Sussex, Chloe underwent a skin graft earlier this month (2 January) where doctors removed skin from her thigh to place over her injuries.
Chloe attended 10 trips to the hospital in total following the incident for check-ups and to have her dressings changed.
Stacey explained: "We took her back on Sunday (21 January) and have been told that her hands are healing really nicely.
"Chloe has been told she may be left with a permanent scar on both hands and on her thigh where they took the skin for skin graft.
"I feel angry, upset and really annoyed that this product has done this to her.
"Since the accident, I have had to shower and wash her and had to take time off work to look after her. This has been since the accident happened."
And although Stacey says her burns are healing well, she fears her daughter will be left 'scarred for life' and has vowed to never buy from Temu again.
Temu - an online marketplace operated by a Chinese company which offers a range of products for a discounted price - has since said they were 'deeply saddened' to hear of Chloe's injuries and have offered her 'credits as a goodwill gesture' - but said these were 'not intended to shift responsibility'.
Since the incident, Stacey's husband Jamie Norris, 45, has reached out to Temu on multiple occasions but claims he has been met with 'robotic' email responses and is unhappy with their customer service.
The couple said that since making their initial complaint, Temu first offered them £100 in online store credits which has now been raised to £1,500.
Despite the compensation offered, Stacey says this is not about the money and wants to see the company to stop selling the product.
Stacey said: "We have sent multiple emails back and forth to Temu and their replies are very robotic and they seem to be too lazy to email back properly.
"It just feels like a very generic, robotic email asking the same questions to do with medical costs, which we don't pay for in the UK.
"Temu has said that they are very sorry for the inconvenience and have given us some credit on our Temu account. They initially offered us £100 and then this went up to £150.
"They have come back with an email saying the product shouldn't be used on children and should be kept out of the way of pets and trying to put the blame on us."
Jamie requested a 'cost record' from the retailer as they said the product had 'been tested' and 'passed regulations' but they allegedly have 'avoided this' and not yet sent it.
After Temu came back with a new offer of £1,500 in credits, Stacey insisted: "This is not about the money, you cannot put a price on my daughter's injuries.
"I'm not happy with Temu's response. If it was my company, I would be telling the customer that I would be looking into the incident and removing the product off the website."
She added: "This was my first ever purchase from Temu and I will never purchase anything from their website ever again."
A Temu spokesperson said: "Firstly, we wish to express our sincerest sympathies to Chloe and her family. The safety and welfare of our customers are of paramount importance to us, and we are deeply saddened by the injury she has suffered.
"On December 15, 2023, we were informed of the unfortunate accident by the family where Chloe suffered burns after coming into contact with a glue product purchased from our platform. We immediately launched an investigation into the matter.
"The product in question was a cyanoacrylate-based nail glue, a substance known for its strong bonding properties. It is a popular item sold by many retailers and e-commerce platforms, primarily used for adhering artificial nails, attaching nail tips, nail repair, and nail art.
"While cyanoacrylate, or commonly known as super glue, is generally harmless when it comes into contact with the skin, there have been reported cases of burns resulting from its reaction with certain materials, such as cotton and wool.
"It is essential to emphasise that we take product safety very seriously. The product carried specific warnings to keep it out of the reach of children, and the merchant provided the necessary certification for the product.
"However, we understand that accidents can happen, especially in situations where the glue was inadvertently spilled and then touched.
"Our focus has always been on supporting Chloe and her family during this difficult time. We have extended an offer of 1,500 credits as a goodwill gesture.
"This decision is not intended to shift responsibility but reflects our acknowledgment of the unfortunate situation and our commitment to our customers' well-being.
"We hope this clarifies the sequence of events and the actions taken by Temu.
"Our thoughts remain with Chloe and her family, and we are committed to resolving this matter in a manner that is fair and respectful to all parties involved."
Stacey claims she has reported the incident to National Trading Standards through Kent County Council, who have been contacted for comment.