A new mom on TikTok has alerted parents about an often-overlooked incident that can happen with their babies. Experts call this hair tourniquet syndrome, a rare condition that could still have serious health consequences if not caught in time.
Mom Riss said in her TikTok video that her baby has been having a hard time sleeping and could not stop crying. She and her husband tried everything to appease their daughter, and nothing worked.
It took them over a day to figure out what was bothering their baby after the mom noticed that two of her baby's toes were a worrying shade of red. Upon closer look, Riss said that there were a few strands of hair around her toes, and that's when she realized that her daughter was in great pain.
@riss_237 Thank God we noticed when we did! Toes are doing better! @.adri237 #awareness #babiesoftiktok ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey
What is Hair Tourniquet Syndrome?
According to WebMD, hair tourniquet syndrome is a "relatively rare condition" that could impact babies, toddlers, and kids up to six years old with serious medical consequences. It involves a few strands of hair wrapped tightly around the baby's tiny body parts, such as the toes, fingers, or even a baby boy's penis.
Contact with loose hair is the most common reason for such an occurrence, considering that most mothers experience hair loss after having a baby because of their body's hormonal changes. Since they spend their time with the baby the most, it's unavoidable to have contact with loose hair strands, but the risks of hair tourniquet syndrome can still be prevented.
Experts said that moms should keep their hair tied if they have long hair. They should also regularly brush their hair away from their baby to remove loose strands before picking up their child.
Sometimes, some loose hair could end up in the mittens, socks, or the baby's clothes, so parents should carefully check the pieces of clothing before putting these on their child. Babies also love pulling hair, which should be stopped before it becomes a compulsive habit.
This is what happened to parents Scott and Jessica Walker of Kansas. Their daughter, Molly, caught some loose hair strands on her socks and her toes got red and swollen. Scott shared on Facebook that he had never heard of hair tourniquet syndrome until it happened to his baby. Fortunately, his wife removed the hair with some tweezers and a magnifying glass.
How to Remove a Hair Tourniquet
Should parents find their baby with a hair tourniquet, pulling it forcefully will only cause a deep cut on the skin. To remove a hair tourniquet carefully, use Vaseline or baby oil to slide the strands off gently.
If the oil doesn't work, it might help to soak the baby's toes or fingers in warm water with soap. It will be easier to unwind the loose strands on a wet surface.
However, if the baby's toes or fingers are turning a shade of blue, don't waste time removing the hair tourniquet without any medical help as this is an emergency situation. Once the tourniquet is gone, the doctor will likely prescribe an antibiotic or painkiller to help the child get some relief.
