YouTube gross-outs

The Bot-fly

Variations: larva, eggs, maggots

The human bot-fly is a revoltingly hairy, greyish-yellow insect with equally revolting reproduction habits. It uses over 40 kinds of insects as unknowing egg vectors, which deposit the bot-fly’s eggs in our tender flesh; the result is nasty larvae hatching in your skin. The best way to force them out is to paint clear nail polish or Vaseline on the area to cut off their air supply – you’d be surprised at the number of self-documenting DIY surgeons on YouTube.

Spider bite

Variations: pus, brown recluse

When searching for this gem, remember that the crème de la crème of these is called ‘Bad Spider Bite’, with over 1,645,000 views. You’d think this guy would’ve gone to a doctor – instead he got a friend to record him trying to drain a golf ball-sized jaw abscess all by himself. It’s a bit like watching a bodily fluid-filled train wreck: you can’t drag your eyes away.

Worm in face

Variations: squeezing

This is exactly what it sounds like – tiny worms that burrow into your face. If you’re particularly squeamish or unimaginative, you might want to Google Image ‘casu marzu’ before watching a video of this. From a scientific viewpoint they’re fascinating: a variation includes the African eyeworm, which burrows below the surface of your eye and may even require chemotherapy.