Are Your Hair Tools Dangerous?
June 22, 2009 by Aly Walansky
Filed under Hair Care
When I was a little girl, my mom would constantly straighten my hair for me.
It was a long, arduous process involving setting, blow-drying, and finally, flat ironing. Every now and then, I’d get a burn behind my ear or on my scalp. It was worth it, though…I hated my curls. Besides, the same thing very easily could happen at the salon! (And it did. Still does!)
Image: Sxc.hu
Sometimes, though, a little burn can be much, much, worse. I couldn’t help but think back to my childhood routine when I read an article in the London Times, that touched on the extreme danger of flat irons, and children going near them.
The number of children hospitalised for burns has risen by more than 50 per cent in the past decade, even though the total number of accidents involving the age group has decreased.
Straighteners can reach temperatures of up to 220C (428F) and remain hot for up to eight minutes after they have been switched off.
A child’s skin is much thinner than an adult’s so the burns can cause permanent scarring.
According to NHS statistics, 233 children under 5 needed hospital treatment for burns in 1997-98. That increased to 358 in 2006-07.
Reading all these facts from the article is scary, but it also arms us with the knowledge we can take steps to make sure it doesn’t happen to our own children.
Some tips I’ve learned over the years:
1 – Always hold the flat iron far enough away from the head that it’s not going to strike your scalp/ear/forehead if your hand slips a bit.
2 – Before use, check the cord for tears/breakages
3 – Be smart. Electricity and water do not mix – If you are doing your hair near a sink or bathtub, make sure you are not standing in a puddle of water!
4 – Flat irons can be super hot, and burn the very hair you are trying to style. Always set the temperature to the lowest setting that will work on your hair – going any higher can cause damage, breakage, or burning.
5 – When you turn the iron off, it will still be hot for a few minutes. Handle it carefully!
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve burned myself with a flat iron. I don’t think I’d ever use one on my child, though. Kids are allowed to be messy most of the time.