Detroit doctors report that some area teens are partaking in dangerous trend: a "chemical game of chicken" that can result in permanent damage to their bodies.
In the game, which is called the "salt and ice challenge," teens burn their skin by applying ice to a layer of salt on their skin and holding it for as long as possible.
CBS News reported that adding salt can drop the freezing point of ice as low as 0 degrees Fahrenheit, resulting in severe injuries to the skin, including frostbite.
WDIV reports that injuries related to the "salt and ice challenge" have been seen in Detroit recently, with teens coming to the emergency room with first-, second-and third-degree burns from the dangerous game.
Dr. Ryan Shear of Botsford Hospital in Detroit said that in extreme cases, the damage could affect muscles, fat and bone, leading to permanently impaired range of motion.
Shear told WDIV that he personally has treated three or four teens for "salt and ice challenge" burns in the past six months. He added that untreated burns -- such as ones purposefully hidden from parental view -- can increase the risk of infection.
The "salt and ice challenge" made headlines in June after a Pittsburgh boy burned a cross onto his back playing the game with his brother and friends.
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the boy's severe, blistered injuries required drug treatment with a lotion that had to be applied four times a day for months and prevented him from swimming or going outside shirtless for the summer.
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