The hair-tourniquet syndrome involves circumferential strangulation of an appendage by a human hair or fibre. It is an emergency condition that induces progressive edema, ischemia and tissue necrosis and can lead to the autoamputation of digits or other strangulated structures.
Sometimes the surgeon has to cut down in the skin to release the tourniquet. (these pictures make me want to vomit).
The hairs can be so light and fine that you don't notice it wrapped around the appendage until it becomes swollen and red like the pictures. If you have an inconsolable baby, check it's fingers and toes. OUCH, it could have something like this. So all of you hairy moms out there, clean the tub extra well when you are done.
7 comments:
I didn't know about this until it happened to a friend's baby. The baby was screaming and she couldn't figure it out. Finally she undressed the baby to check everything and found her toe all purple. She was wearing sleepers and there must have been a hair in the toe that just wrapped around. So, I have always checked or at least peeked in my girls sleeper toes before putting their feet in (I have relaxed a little ..now years later, but I think after actually seeing it, I won't be so lax. Thanks). Esp. since the hairs may not be visible. SO scary and sad.
I remember my mom saying that this happened to us girls when we were little. It has never happened to my boys! But I did go get my hair cut. I will have to post some pictures. I told the lady to do whatever she wanted, she's my friend, and she gave me your haircut:)
wow, Crazy. I've never heard of that! Always good to know of something else to check if your baby seems to be crying for no reason.
ouchy ouch! How awful for those cute little baby toes. Maybe I should show this to Ben so I will feel less guilty about making those hairs on my head shorter next Tuesday.
That is pretty sick. I've never heard of such a thing. It is amazing all the weird things that can and DOES happen. Scary stuff!
Gage is doing his peds. rotation right and he saw one in the clinic. He said you couldn't even see the string/hair because it was so swollen. I believe the one they treated was a string from the sock. The string was red but it blended in with the swollen toe. The poor little one was so upset.
YUCK! This has never happened to any of our kids, and I hope it never does - I don't think I could handle it. Guess it's good that Brett is a doctor... Poor babies - I can't imagine how painful that must be.
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