A US doctor has issued a stern warning to travellers after a tourist paid USD5 (~SGD6.70) for a leg massage in a grimy alleyway in Thailand and woke up the next morning covered in red, pus-filled boils.
Dr Joe Whittington, an emergency physician from California, shared the cautionary tale through a viral TikTok video that has garnered more than 365,000 views.
The tourist had contracted folliculitis, a painful skin infection caused by inflamed hair follicles, after what was meant to be a relaxing Thai massage turned into a medical nightmare.
Staphylococcus Aureus Infection Spreads Through Poor Hygiene Practices
“What you see here is folliculitis,” Dr Whittington explained in his TikTok video. “You get a massage in a sketchy alleyway in Thailand and walk away feeling relaxed, then you wake up the next day with your legs looking like a teenager the night before prom.”
The doctor believes the man likely contracted a Staphylococcus aureus infection, a dangerous bacterium commonly spread through dirty hands, reused massage oils, or unwashed towels.
“She’s masked up while rubbing you down with her biohazard hands,” he said, referring to the elderly masseuse seen in the video. “Open pores, sweaty legs, and alleyway massages, it’s the perfect recipe for infection.”
Dr Whittington explained that folliculitis typically appears as angry red bumps or pus-filled spots. If left untreated, the condition may require antibiotics.
“This is your immune system flipping the table like, ‘What in the unsanitary hell was that?'” he said.
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The doctor urged travellers to be more cautious when choosing massage locations. “If your massage table is made of concrete and there’s a moped parked next to it, maybe just stretch and call it a day.”
Online reactions to the video ranged from amused to horrified. “Yikes! Um, no thanks,” wrote one viewer. Another said: “That is terrifying – all for a US$5 massage.”
A licensed massage therapist warned that these infections aren’t exclusive to Thailand. “This can happen anywhere when there’s no licence or proper hygiene.”
Other viewers defended Thailand’s massage industry. “I got five massages in proper Thai spas, they were hands down the best I’ve ever had,” one tourist wrote. “Just stick to licensed places and you’ll be fine.”
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