What is Chroming, the dangerous viral TikTok trend claiming kids' lives? Doctor explains its fatal impact

TikTok trends have assumed the shape of use-and-throw fads. As swiftly as an old one dies, another one claims its spot. However, the recent past has also seen the arrival of some tragically fatal advances. As scrolling through these social media takes over the place once held firmly by actual newspaper browsing, harmful developments have adversely impacted youngsters relying on these platforms as if they were synonymous with their breath. As the fear of missing out mounts, the youth has seemingly turned a blind eye to the dangers of what they're getting themselves into. Last year, a 13-year-old Australian girl died after allegedly submitting to the harmful chroming trend.

And now, the parents of 11-year-old Tommie-lee Gracie Billington in the United Kingdom are the newest victims of the viral streak. While the relatively new internet trend gets out of hand, the practice itself isn't as fresh as one would've thought. Here's what chroming is and what medical experts have to say about it:

Chroming TikTok trend explained:

In simple words, the chroming challenge requires inhaling toxic fumes. The breakout social media frenzy has seen many teenagers sniffing aerosol cans, detergent, paint thinner and other such solvents. The intoxicating practice temporarily uplifts the partakers' spirits, offering a brief and instant high. Teenagers or young adult participants in their early 20s have largely undertaken the growing trend.

Though the online trend itself is a novel fad, a 2017 report titled ‘Understanding Adolescent Inhalant Use’ noted about 684,000 adolescents followed the toxic practice of huffing or sniffing chemicals.

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Toxicology specialist Anthony Pizon MD told UPMC in 2023 that chroming “is a variation of an old theme of huffing all sorts of hydrocarbons.” He also reminded readers that people have been “huffing metallic paints for a long, long time" - it's almost as if it's been rediscovered and rebranded online. The social media trend presumably borrows its name from the "chrome-like shiny appearance" of metallic paints containing these hydrocarbons.

Dr Pizon further explained that these metallic paints contain the toluene hydrocarbon, which gives the partakers “a kind of that drunken feeling.” Therefore, its harmful impact correlates to how much one goes about huffing it.

Notably, this particular huffing practice has gained so much traction among young participants because of how easily accessible these resources, like metallic paints or deodorants, are as compared to other drugs or illicit substances.

Chroming and its cons to the body:

Dr Pizon remarked that if one isn't careful, “particularly when using a bag, you can eliminate oxygen and basically suffocate to death.” Its devastating results can have both short-term and long-term effects on one's well-being, which include cardiac arrest, suffocation, coma, choking, seizures or asphyxiation.

The chroming challenge once again caught attention after Tommie-lee Gracie Billington from Lancaster passed away. He tragically and “instantly” died on March 2 at his friend's place when he participated in the trend. His family also alerted the internet of what had happened as a means to spread awareness.

Tomie-lee's grandmother, Tina Burns, revealed: “He died instantly after a sleepover at a friend's house. The boys had tried the TikTok craze 'chroming'” (Lancashire Post)

The young one allegedly went into cardiac arrest right there and then. Despite immediate medical attention, nothing could be done to bring him back. 13-year-old Esra Haynes from Australia also fell victim to the chroming trend last year and allegedly suffered from similar repercussions.