Beware: Hair Tourniquet Syndrome

Something our family has been touched by recently is "hair tourniquet syndrome" its something that I’ve never really heard of before. It happens when a piece of hair or thread gets wrapped around a part of the body such as fingers, toes and even genitalia and is most common in babies. It occurs when a hair comes in contact with the baby’s fingers and toes and as the baby moves the hair becomes wrapped tighter. It can cut off circulation and in extreme cases can be a cause for amputation.

One way to prevent this is to inspect your laundry after washing it. Turn the baby’s socks and footed sleepers inside out to inspect for any loose hairs or pieces of thread. Also check your baby’s toes, fingers and genitalia often. Look for any swelling or redness. If discovered early, you can typically remove the hair at home.

If you see your baby with hair tourniquet syndrome, do not pull on the hair. You may be able to remove it with a magnifying class and small tweezers. Sometimes soap and water will help loosen it. If you are unable to get the hair removed, you will need to contact your doctor or go to the emergency room. They are more experienced with this and have appropriate tools. Once the hair tourniquet is removed the blood flow is restored.

When my kids were babies I didn’t know this even existed. Knowledge is power and we all want our kids to be safe.