A story about how important it is to keep hair away from machines

[Dreams_in_Pink]

I just watched this in news bulletin and am tempted to share.
The incident took place in a farm in Ankara,Turkey. A nine-year-old girl was playing on a tractor, when she fell down to the ground. Her waist-length hair got caught in the fans and her whole scalp, her ears, eyebrows and forehead were completely torn off.

She, and her scalp, were immediately brought to hospital. After 6 hours of surgery, the skin and veins that provide blood to the scalp were successfully stitched back to her head. Doctors reported that although the piece of skin lost was very large, they managed to save %90 of the tissue. This means that she'll be able to grow her hair once again :)

Seriously, guys...we need to be cautious about potential hazards for our hair. It's not just about losing a few strands, this story kinda shows how hair-caught-in-a-machine situations might end.

I hope this thread doesn't gross anyone :(

[Alcenaia]

A good, if very sobering, reminder. I will be working in a machine shop soon, so this was particularly timely for me. :)

[princessp]

How horrible! I remember taking woodworking and hearing stories of long-haired people getting their hair stuck in the tool that you turn wood with (can't remember the name of it).

[ohwhataday03]

Wow, I would have never thought something like that would happen. Now I will make sure my hair is in a bun before going around anything that has moving parts. Glad the girl is fine.

[chopandchange]

I remember another incident which I saw on a UK TV show (called 999), about a girl whose long hair got tangled in the vent at the bottom of a swimming pool while she was playing underwater, and they had to cut her out and give her CPR.

I can see why swimming caps are a good idea!

[BrightEyes7]

Yikes! That is scary. At least they could save her and her scalp... poor girl.

I thought getting my hair caught in car doors/windows was bad enough. I can't even begin to imagine what that must have been like for her.

[girloctopus]

This has always been a HUGE fear of mine. :shudder: Poor girl. I hope she recuperates well.

[RavennaNight]

Eeeeek! That is scary! :shudder: thankfully they got her scalp back onto her head! The poor girl!

[Purdy Bear]

Another dangerous machine is a shredder, any sort (both ricers and long). Iv known people to loose ties which had to be cut off because they were stuck in the machines, half choking them in the process.

If you have anything that could get into any machine, get someone else to do it, or at least follow the health and safety rules for that machine.

[ArienEllariel]

Oh my goodness! That's horrible! I've heard horror stories like that before and now I have to say that I'm quite fearful around anything that could "eat" hair. I think if you will be working around any kind of machinery like that that your hair should be in a bun or covered and protected in some way.

[halo_tightens]

That reminds me of another such incident that happened to a man I know. I don't want to be morbid, but I think these kinds of warning are very important!

He always kept his hair at mid-back length, even though he worked in some sort of machine shop (I never actually saw his workplace). One day, it got caught in some sort of machine which was elevated off the ground, just above his head. It grabbed his hair somehow and pulled it in, all the way to his scalp. It actually lifted him off the ground (he's not too tall and has a very slight build). He had to be cut free.

He obviously suffered some damage to his scalp, but worse than that, his skull and neck bones were fractured. He was off work for a very long time.

I saw him several months later, and his hair was in a buzz cut. From what I hear, he has chosen to never grow it longer than that again.

Let's all be extra careful! :grouphug:

[Dreams_in_Pink]

I saw him several months later, and his hair was in a buzz cut. From what I hear, he has chosen to never grow it longer than that again.

Let's all be extra careful! :grouphug:

Aw, that's sad. This little girl i wrote about was saying she wants long hair again, despite all the suffering she's been through :) guess that's a girl-guy difference LOL

[moominhapa]

What a terrifying story! I remember a similar story about a girl getting her hair stuck in a ride at an amusement park near my hometown. The place had to shut down after that, and she had to have reconstructive surgery on her scalp. *Shudder* Let's all be very, very careful!

[Carrie Ingalls]

I heard a similar story about a girl in her teens (I think), who had her hair (waist or hip) in a ponytail and went go-karting at a cousin's house. Her hair got caught and while she survived her hair did not...I don't remember the details, just that she had very little hair, and not by choice. :(

and people ask why I don't wear my hair down.:rolleyes:

I hope the little girl recovers quickly and has no longterm illeffects. :flower:

[Rhiannon7]

OMG! poor little girl, so sad to hear this kind of news about such accidents, it could have been prevented by simply braiding her hair or keeping her away from the tractor. sending prayers for this innocent little angel. i heard of an incident similar a few years ago to a woman who had i think classic length hair. good idea to keep hair in buns and braids. thanks for the news. if hair does not hang down it cannot be caught on anything. that is my mantra whenever i go out or i am at home with hair loose. things get caught in my hair, (bugs, furry baby's fur, feathers, etc.) but my hair does not get caught on anything but my gold chain.

[rosek]

A few years ago, a girl in Australia was swimming in a spa, and her hair (not that long actually) got caught in the filter at the bottom. The suction was so strong, she got stuck and drowned. I'm petrified of that happening - I won't put my head underwater in a spa anymore, and always keep my hair up high! I don't think spa water is good on your face or hair anyway.

[Twil]

I remember another incident which I saw on a UK TV show (called 999), about a girl whose long hair got tangled in the vent at the bottom of a swimming pool while she was playing underwater, and they had to cut her out and give her CPR.

I can see why swimming caps are a good idea!
That happened to me when I was about 9 or so. My braid got sucked in and I was caught underwater. Luckily someone saw quickly and yanked me out. My hair was shredded, but I was alright. Except for a fear of water above my head, that I still have today (nearly cried and had a mini panic attack when my gym teacher made me go into the 12 foot)

[ilovelonghair]

I got my hair stuck in a fan 3 years ago, I was lucky to quickly pull it out. It was just a small standing fan, so it wasn't too bad. But that made me extra careful!

[PineappleJello]

When I was growing up I knew a girl who had got her hair stuck in a piece of farm equipment. Unfortunately the damage has made it impossible to grow hair and she has to wear wigs now. My mum always use to remind me of that to remind me not to let my hair near machinery or even the washing machine.

[Dreams_in_Pink]

When I was growing up I knew a girl who had got her hair stuck in a piece of farm equipment. Unfortunately the damage has made it impossible to grow hair and she has to wear wigs now. My mum always use to remind me of that to remind me not to let my hair near machinery or even the washing machine.

such accidents don't always have a happy ending :(

[Carolyn]

It's always good to think about safety first. What a sad story.