Burned my hair at work =(

[Ashflower89]

http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac299/Ashflower89/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00705_zpsdzj1hcxm.jpgI work in a factory with welding robots. They have plastic sheets around most of them to contain the sparks, and I've worked here for almost 2 years and not had any problems. All the sudden today, a ball of sparks came flying out of a cell and landed right on top of my head. I put it out and took my ponytail down and finger combed it.... and a ball of hair came out. =(

I'm not much of a dramatic person, but I'm literally trying not to cry in the middle of my shift. I've gone through the pixie-shoulder-pixie rut since 2008, and I got serious about growing to waist since the pixie May 2013. And now I have either a bald spot somewhere, or just a chunk of very short burnt hairs that I can't find yet.

I guess I'm gonna start wearing bandanas but.... it's so hot in this factory that I'm already drenched in sweat with nothing on my head. Bleh

[ExpectoPatronum]

I'm so sorry this happened. Hopefully it's not anything too dramatic. It seems like since you didn't really notice anything yet that it might not be a huge set back after all.

Maybe a bandana isn't a bad thing? It might help absorb the sweat so you won't be as hot.

[Quasiquixotic]

Oh honey! :grouphug:

I think they make stay cool bandanas that you wet...

[Ashflower89]

I'm so sorry this happened. Hopefully it's not anything too dramatic. It seems like since you didn't really notice anything yet that it might not be a huge set back after all.

Maybe a bandana isn't a bad thing? It might help absorb the sweat so you won't be as hot.

Thanks Patronum =) i hope youre right.... i wont get to take a good look at it til my shift is over. My head reeks of burning hair smell... kind of afraid to look at it =/

[Ashflower89]

I wore a bandana my whole first summer at this job, and it made my head sweat sooo bad. Plus my hair follicles hurt from being masjed flat by the bandana. I never got hit with sparks that summer, so I figured I could get away without one this summer. Apparently I was wrong =/ Ill have to check out the cool bandanas, thank you Quasi

[Selkie-]

Ashflower89 -- so sorry this happened to you. I would be totally freaked out - hope the damage is less than you think. :grouphug:

[embee]

Ugh how frightening! I'm glad it was just that ball of hair you showed. That will not likely be a severe problem for you, just an inconvenient layer.

Fire and long hair is *very* dangerous, and if you can make a bun you'll be better off, and then put some sort of cooling bandana over top.

[Stray_mind]

I am sorry this happened to you.. Maybe the damage is not that big. If you wore a ponytail all day, maybe there are some naturally shed hair there too? I usually shed this much trough all day, so that seems normal to me. I don't know how much you shed though...

[Crabbyco]

I weld and run a plasma table. Sparks happen. Never got a bald spot from sparks but every once in awhile I get the burned hair smell. I don't wear anything on my hair other than keeping it in a bun or ponytail. The guys wear baseball caps backwards to protect their necks.

[Ashflower89]

I'm home now and took a shower, got the burnt hair stink off me. I found a small section near the top of my head with 1" hairs, but its really sparse and I can hide it easily, thank god. I was worried I had a straight up bald spot.

I've been growing out a pixie since May last year, so its only been a year and I just hit shoulder length. Not long enough for buns really, and my job is really physical so fancy styles sort of don't hold.... so I just resort to a plain ponytail and a headband for flyaways. Definitely gonna keep it covered with a bandana from now on, hat-hair is better than no hair lol.

[Cania]

:grouphug: Glad the damage wasn't too bad! I think everyone has one big scare. Mine got trapped in a fan shudder:

[Ashflower89]

Yikes! My hairs been shoulder length or shorter most of my life so I've never had incidents like that. I'll probably be super paranoid of fans and car doors as it grows past shoulder for the first time lol.

[LauraLongLocks]

Oh I'm so glad it wasn't as bad as you thought, but still, I know it's upsetting. My hair oops was years before I got serious about growing it out, and before my last pixie in May 2008. I sucked it up through the back of he hairdryer. Ouch! And very scary.

[ummyahya]

Oh, I am very sorry to hear about the accident! Is the spot very noticeable?

I can provide you with some tips about hair covering in hot weather, as I cover mine most of the time. If the place where you are working is really hot, you should choose if you prefer breathable or absorbent materials.... A cotton/silk mix is what I find ideal as it balances breathability and absorption. Another good one is bamboo, which also has some antibacterial properties.
I find the most comfortable way to cover the hair is using tie-back bonnet caps; there are in quite a few material.

[CarpeDM]

These dreadbands (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Bright-stripey-headband-dreadband-dreadlocks-hippie-gypsy-dreads/321392127371?_trksid=p2047675.c100012.m1985&_trkparms=aid%3D444000%26algo%3DSOI.DEFAULT%26ao%3 D1%26asc%3D20140107090229%26meid%3D721938582960956 6941%26pid%3D100012%26prg%3D20140107090229%26rk%3D 1%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D321317561747 ) are fantastic for keeping your hair out of the way.

Given my hair is longer, I do double braids, wrap them around my head like Heidi braids then I take the dreadband and wrap it around my head twice to hold the braids in place. I use them for working out or when my hair is just driving me crazy and I need a break. It keeps my hair safe and out of harms way while absorbing sweat. You should try one!

[spidermom]

How about a ball cap instead of a bandana?

[Selkie-]

Glad to hear the damage wasn't too bad. :grouphug:

[schnibbles]

Sorry to hear about the hair mishap...I wear this thing (Ergodyne Core Performance Work Multi-Band) (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003CYLVMM/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) under my helmet when we go ATV-ing ...it's not hot at all. Actually it wicks sweat and dries fast. You can wear it a bunch of different ways. HTH

[ErinLeigh]

I am so sorry your hair was burned. Darn robots! I'm glad everything turned out "not too bad@ but it still sucks it happened at all.

Those head gear ideas are great. I never thought about all the ways to cover hair (I don't like scarves/bandanas) but the dread bands and that airwick thing do look awesome. I can totally see you looking great in one of those :)

[Anje]

Eesh, sorry that happened, but at least it's not worse! Easy to hide!

If you're looking at hair coverings, do keep in mind that synthetics melt. You might be better off with something that's mostly or all cotton. Otherwise, I'd be suggesting things like the Coolmax Buffs (I think they call the style "High UV", but the point is that it's a very comfortable cooling material). Even so, it might be worth looking into those. A good wicking fabric will feel better.

Do take a look at the "ponyscrub" style hair coverings. It might be a little much for you at the moment, but as your hair grows, it could be a good style to make sure that all of it is contained and covered.

[kitana97]

If it makes you feel better, that's about the amount I shed in a day..I've burnt my hair once - the ends got too close to a stove top and the smell was horrible. I was panicked! My grandmother's hair caught fire once as well - she went to light her cigarette and instead light her hair on fire.

Hopefully, the pic you should was all the hair that came out and since you can't find the short hairs or bald spot there very well could not be any.

[Crabbyco]

These materials would be great in a spark filled work environment. Make sure you stick with something natural like cotton. My husband was wearing a synthetic blend shirt when we had an accidental explosion and it melted to his skin. It didn't burn, it melted very quickly.

[velorutionista]

Sorry you had that scare! I would add lightweight wool to the list of suggestions--I have several really wide headbands I made to keep my hair out of the way (same idea as the dreadbands linked above), but in super light wool--they breathe so much better than my cotton ones and are great for hot weather.

[woodswanderer]

So glad you're ok and the damage wasn't as bad as you feared. :grouphug:

[mindwiped]

The at home way to make those cooling bandannas...Find the crystals that florist use in place of the green foam. They look like large grains of sand, but swell up to pea sized when you soak them in water, and will slowly release it to the plants. Make a pocket or tube of cloth, and stitch a tablespoon or two of the crystals into a bandanna or piece of cloth. Then soak it in cold water before you start your shift. Personal air-conditioning. Just make sure that the material you use can withstand repeated soaks in water.

These are the crystals that I've seen used: http://www.midlandhardware.com/131253.html?gclid=CjgKEAjw2KCcBRCQ_6mztcunhEgSJABP xOF1Bg5iEcsYcvIpgh0q-80QwtvkRg2441Haw3r3GheX6_D_BwE

[Henna Girl]

That's upsetting. But could have been much worse ! I would cover my hair to work from now on!