“I had scars from low-temperature burns,” so I asked for medical expenses, but Pulio said, “I can’t compensate you.” Conflict

Person A, who purchased Pulio's massage device last March, developed scars on his legs after two months of use. Person A claimed that although he dressed and used the massage device as instructed by Pouliot, he suffered low-temperature burns. The model used by Mr. A is a thigh massage device with a heating function released in February 2025.

Another user, Mr. B, underwent surgery to remove necrotic tissue due to low-temperature burns. He claimed that although he wore thick clothes and used a massager on top as instructed by Pouliot, it was not enough to prevent burns.

According to the massage device industry on the 8th, conflicts between companies and consumers who have experienced problems such as low-temperature burns and abrasions after using Pulio products are spreading.

Fullio is a premium home massage brand established in 2022. It maintains the top spot in domestic sales by introducing a wireless calf massage device. Last year's sales were about 190 billion won, more than three times more than the previous year.

This company’s products became popular when Key, a member of the boy group SHINee, wore them on the ‘I Live Alone’ broadcast program. The price is around 200,000 to 600,000 won. More than 1 million devices have been sold to date.

However, as the number of consumers who report suffering low-temperature burns due to the heating function increases, conflict over compensation for damages is spreading.

The heating function is a function that increases the temperature of the massaged area to provide effects such as muscle relaxation and improved blood circulation.

This function is built into most massage devices. This function is also applied to domestic massage chair companies Ceragem and Bodyfriend. However, it has been reported that no cases of damage resulting from low-temperature burns due to the heating function have been reported to date.

This is because it is equipped with a function to prevent low-temperature burns. Bodyfriend's product has a function that automatically adjusts the heating level after 20 minutes of operation to prevent low-temperature burns. Ceragem's massage chair also reaches a maximum temperature of 65 degrees, but prevents burns through low-temperature burn prevention technology.

Some products from Bodyfriend and Ceragem are registered as ‘medical devices’ and are subject to strict standards. In order to be recognized as a medical device, it must be certified by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, so there is no choice but to introduce technology to prevent low-temperature burns.

However, since the Pulio is a massage device rather than a medical device, it is known to be subject to relatively relaxed standards. Experts explain that due to the nature of this company's products as massage devices that cover the legs, the risk of low-temperature burns is inevitably greater than that of open massage chairs.

Accordingly, Pulio informs consumers that “since each individual’s skin is different, it is best to use it on clothing to prevent low-temperature burns, and do not use it on the same area for a long time.”

An official in the massage industry said, “Because the Pulio product is not a medical device and the unit price of the product is cheaper than regular devices, we would have had no choice but to go in the direction of guiding consumers’ usage behavior rather than preventing problems with our own technology.”

Pulio said, “We are working to compensate for the damage caused by the massage device by reflecting the consumer’s position as much as possible,” but consumers who actually suffered damage claim that they “did not receive compensation for treatment costs.”

The company also said, “We have maintained the temperature safety standard of 45 degrees or lower, but due to the nature of massage devices with a heating function, the possibility of low-temperature burns occurring depending on the user’s usage cannot be completely ruled out, so caution is necessary for safe use.”

As low-temperature burn problems continued to occur, Pouliot announced that it would completely remove the heating function from its products from April 2025. In addition, he added that to prevent blisters from occurring due to skin friction, a TF technology development (R&D) team was created and development began.

Lee Il-hyung, a lawyer at law firm Daeryun Medical Pharmaceutical Group, said, “It is necessary to objectively prove whether the consumer followed all instructions and used the product and whether burns occurred despite following the instructions. If the requirements of the Product Liability Act are met, the manufacturer is likely to be liable for damages unless it can prove that the damage occurred due to a cause other than a defect.”

However, he said, “There were not many accidents like this, and if the accident occurred while following the instructions, there is a possibility that the patient’s unusual constitution is the problem.”

Meanwhile, Pouliot voluntarily recalled 80,000 neck and shoulder massagers on May 26. Although there were no defects in the product, the material at the end of the massage ball at the bottom of the product was designed to be hard and angular, so it was confirmed that there was a risk of abrasions occurring during the massage process.

Reporter Kim Jeong-eun (xbookleader@chosunbiz.com)

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Demand for medical expenses for “low-temperature burns left scars”... Conflict over Pulio “cannot compensate” (link)