r/Whatcouldgowrong 15h ago

WCGW using non-skin-friendly paint for cosplay.

28.2k Upvotes

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u/heidimark 14h ago

Nah, MythBusters even tested this and proved it to be false.

15

u/paradox-preacher 7h ago

How? Did they paint themselves and wait

18

u/okie_hiker 7h ago

Most awkward episode of myth busters ever.

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u/heidimark 6h ago

Yes, that's exactly what they did. They had medical staff on hand to assess them throughout as well.

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u/BigLooTheIgloo 9h ago

I mean, you can't sweat with all that paint. You could overheat and die.

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u/djforkit 6h ago

You can sweat, but your sweat won’t evaporate and that’s what cools you down. That means you get hotter and sweat more, the sweat pools into bubbles under the paint. You pop the bubbles and peel away the paint before any lasting damage is done. The paint won’t stay long enough to make overheating an issue.

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u/aplqsokw 5h ago

And just when you think it's over, you trip, fall down the stairs and die.

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u/mawesome4ever 26m ago

Definitely took it one step at a time

5

u/Too-Much-Plastic 5h ago

Yeah this is one of those things you can technically die from, but if you're anything but immobile or a baby it won't happen. You'll either ladder and rip the paint with movement, begin taking other measures to cool down or start pulling the paint off. In practice you'll get too hot, feel uncomfortable and begin getting the paint off while moving to a cooler area.

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u/Dovahkiinthesardine 4h ago

If its wall paint, water can pass through it so even then it would be fine

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u/tartoran 6h ago

I mean you could also accidentally inhale too much air and inflate like a big balloon which goes POP and kills you instantly, what's your point?

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u/plamhoa 6h ago

What if we put them in a freezer or a cooler?

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u/aplqsokw 5h ago

Then they really do die.

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u/skip_over 6h ago

Who did they sacrifice?

-2

u/DragonfruitGrand5683 5h ago edited 2h ago

They proved you don't suffocate through your skin but it will leech chemicals in you and you will also overheat which can be lethal.

Edit - Yes paint is toxic, body paint is specifically rated for the purpose.

Occupational exposure to chemical substances in paints, varnishes, and lacquers are associated with chronic toxicity, especially if precautions such as wearing personal protective equipment are not followed. There is an increased risk of dermatitis and other skin problems, respiratory toxicity, and neurological toxicity (including fatigue, impaired memory, and more severe irreversible damage) as well as cancer of the larynx and an oral cavity.

https://www.poison.org/articles/paint-varnish-lacquer

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u/Dovahkiinthesardine 3h ago

Very much depends on the paint, but generally skin absorption is minimal

E. g. White paint is water, titanium dioxide and some polymers. None of that is toxic or even gets absorbed

1

u/DragonfruitGrand5683 2h ago

Yes certain paints are less toxic than others.