TLDR Hair tourniquet syndrome is a rare condition where hair wraps around an infant's body part, needing quick removal to prevent damage.
Hair tourniquet syndrome is a rare but serious condition where hair or fibers wrap tightly around an infant's fingers, toes, or genitals, causing swelling and potential tissue damage. A case involving a 4-month-old girl with hair wrapped around her toes was resolved quickly with hair removal, leading to rapid healing without tissue necrosis. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are crucial to prevent severe outcomes like tissue necrosis or autoamputation. Parents should regularly check their infants for entangled hairs, especially if experiencing postpartum hair loss.
21 citations,
July 2005 in “European Journal of Emergency Medicine” Hair-tourniquet syndrome can cause serious toe injuries in infants but can be treated if found early.
45 citations,
March 2003 in “Pediatrics” Baby's toe injury linked to mom's hair loss; check baby's toes and be careful with fruit gel snacks.
4 citations,
February 2014 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” Early diagnosis of hair tourniquet syndrome saved a baby's toe from being lost.
2 citations,
November 2017 in “Case Reports” A baby boy's toe was saved from damage caused by hair strangulation by quick surgical treatment.
1 citations,
December 2015 in “International journal of pediatric research” Hair tourniquets on the clitoris are rare but can cause serious harm and should be removed quickly.
Early detection and treatment of hair-thread tourniquet syndrome in young girls is important to prevent serious harm.
6 citations,
August 2020 in “Frontiers in Pediatrics” Penile strangulation from hair can cause severe harm but can be treated if caught early.
