Baby Hair Tourniquets
WHAT IS A BABY HAIR TOURNIQUET
Tourniquet syndrome is when something is wrapped tightly around a digit or extremity, which leads to decreased blood flow to that area. If tourniquet syndrome is not noticed quickly enough, it can lead to a loss of that digit or extremity due to decreased circulation. It’s something that postpartum moms need to be aware of because postpartum hair loss is so prevalent in those first couple months postpartum and hair is one of the biggest culprits of tourniquet syndrome in babies. Hair can easily get tangled up in baby’s fingers, toes, or find its way into a diaper without someone realizing it. This hair can get wrapped around a body part, resulting in a loss of blood flow, causing swelling and discoloration of the extremity. There’s a higher chance with postpartum moms just because we are often losing sooo much hair. My goal isn’t to make anyone worried, but just to bring awareness. Awareness is a great form of prevention!
PREVENTION
My first recommendation is that you add “check baby’s fingers, toes, and genitals for pieces of hair” to your mental checklist whenever you are changing a diaper, bathing, changing clothes, etc. With my babies, I run my fingers over their fingers and toes to check for any loose pieces of hair. This looks like rubbing those tiny fingers and toes, even checking in between. This way I can get any hairs before they turn into a hair tourniquet, preventing tourniquet syndrome.
Another good time to check for a hair tourniquet is if baby is fussy, or crying in pain, but you don’t know why. We often automatically think baby is gassy or hungry, but checking their fingers, toes, and diaper area to rule this out as well, can make a huge difference! Hair tourniquets are rare, but they are real. Double checking can be a simple thing we can do to prevent them.
It’s important to mention that tourniquets don't always have to occur from hair- it can be from loose threads or strings from clothing. Thinking about the mittens baby’s wear- there could be a loose thread that could get wrapped around baby’s finger. If your baby is wearing mittens, it may be good to take them off periodically to check their fingers. Another place these thread tourniquets can happen is in the feet of baby’s sleeper, so it can be important to be cautious and check that area as well. Another great tip is washing baby’s mittens and sleepers inside out, which can lessen the chances of strings or hair getting stuck in there unnoticed. You can also look for hairs and threads as you’re hanging and folding baby’s clothes as well. All we as parents need to do is be aware! That's the best thing you can do.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU DO NOTICE A TOURNIQUET ON BABY
If you notice a hair or thread tightly wrapped around baby's appendage, act fast! Don’t panic, you’ve got this! First, assess if the area is open or bleeding. Then, grab a magnifying glass, tweezers, and tiny scissors, or nail clippers. If you’re comfortable and able to move the hair away from the skin, you’ll want to carefully cut/pull the hair or string out. If you’re not having success removing it at this point- if it’s too buried in, or if baby’s toes/fingers are red and they're in pain, it’s time to call your doctor or start heading to receive emergency care. Whenever mentioning hair tourniquets on babies, I’m asked if it’s okay to use Nair. This may work, but can only be done if you are sure baby’s skin is not open or bleeding. Although Nair can work well, it isn't foolproof and it doesn't always work. If the hair is too tight or too deeply embedded, it may not be able to break apart the hair properly. If that’s the case, you’ll want to call your child’s doctor right away.
If baby’s finger, toe, or genital hair/thread tourniquet has an open wound, is discolored, if you’re unable to get the hair or thread off of baby, or if you’re feeling uneasy or unsure if what you did worked, please seek emergency medical care. Getting the tourniquet removed in a timely manner is most important. Again, this is something that is rare, but does occur with babies and can be easily missed, that’s why I want to draw attention to tourniquet syndrome. Awareness is truly the best form of prevention in this case.
