The Dangers of Hair Ties to Babies

Part of the joy of having a baby girl is dressing her in adorable outfits and putting her hair up in cute styles. However, your curious little bundle of joy will eagerly explore and taste anything you put on or near her. Hair ties and accessories can be damaging to your baby's hair and dangerous for her. Avoid the many risks and keep her delicate hair natural and softly flowing.

  1. Choking

    • Babies explore objects around them by putting them into their mouths. This includes hair ties that she pulls off and chews or sucks on. Small hair ties and the accessories that are attached to them can get loose and become a choking hazard for your baby. HealthyChildren.org notes that small objects account for 50 percent of choking episodes. This includes small elastic band hair ties and hair accessories. Using larger cloth-covered hair ties helps to prevent this risk, but remember that your baby will try to remove it and place it in her mouth.

    Strangulation

    • Little bows might look cute in your infant daughter's hair, but ribbons and larger hair ties are a strangulation risk. Your baby might try to remove the hair tie or ribbon by pulling it down over her head. The elastic hair tie and even loose ribbons can wrap around the neck and get caught on other objects causing accidental strangulation.

    Allergic Reaction

    • Your baby's super-fine, silky hair might not stay in the grip of any hair tie except those made out of elastic rubber. As tempting as it is to use these convenient tiny rubber bands, they also pose a risk of allergic reaction to your baby. MayoClinic.com advises that a latex allergy can cause symptoms such as wheezing, runny nose and even difficulty breathing. Your baby's tender scalp and skin could become irritated, inflamed and break out in a rash.

    Hair Loss

    • Hair ties typically need to have a tight grip in order to stay in your baby's fine, silky hair. However, your baby's hair is thinner and more fragile than that of older children. Her hair can break or be pulled off by tight hair ties or if she pulls at the hair tie. The website for the Academy of Dermatology notes that this can cause traction hair loss, leading to bald spots and an inflamed scalp. Hair can stop growing altogether in areas that are repeatedly pulled or irritated. Treat your baby's hair gently and leave it loose.

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