The problem with magnets is that, while they serve a great purpose with household items that are used around the home, they can be incredibly dangerous if ingested.

After RoSPA detected a spike in the number of young people needing surgery after accidentally swallowing them, the charity joined forces with Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) to raise awareness of the dangers.

Launched as the ‘#SafeFashion campaign’, which launched in April 2022, the initiative’s chief aim was to connect with young people and their parents to make them aware of the risks surrounding magnets following concerns of them being used as “fake” tongue piercings and jewellery among teenagers and youngsters. 

Instances where the magnets have detached and been swallowed have led to the need for surgery and can cause serious infections, lifelong digestive disorders or even death. 

When two or more of the small ball magnets are swallowed, they can stick together, causing damage to the digestive system. A magnet in one loop of the bowel will be attracted to another in a different loop and pull the two together. This traps parts of the digestive system between the magnets, cutting off blood flow and rapidly killing intestinal tissue.  

Created as part of the #NilByMouth campaign, and launched by the Office for Product Safety and Standards, #SafeFashion aims to utilise social media to spread awareness of the dangers around faking a piercing with ball magnets.  

Discussing the importance of magnet awareness, RoSPA’s Public Health Adviser, Ashley Martin, said:“We anticipate that more injuries are likely to occur from magnets being used as fake tongue piercings, which is why we recommend that older children and their families are made aware through our #SafeFashion campaign how dangerous magnets can be if swallowed. 

“Magnets stick together and cut off blood supply, causing tissue to die. We’re warning parents and teenagers to take real care when buying products containing magnets.” 

The #SafeFashion webpage created for the campaign is still a useful source of vital learning materials, as it features social media resources, a leaflet, videos and a poster for parents and young people to use, with links to information and advice on how dangerous magnetic balls can be. 
 
With the campaign now over a year old, RoSPA has seen its advice spread across social media platforms, as well as many national and regional news outlets, which RoSPA believes is a positive sign that the campaign’s message has made an impact across the UK. As bastions of product safety, the charity will continue to work towards reducing the harmful dangers that can be present in any home.