You always keep a hair tie handy in case your hair gets in the way and keeps falling in front of your eyes. This hair accessory, which comes in handy when the wind is blowing or when loose strands annoy you, almost doubles as a bracelet. It blends in with your wrist and mingles with your usual jewelry. Except that, even though this hair tie is useful, it creates a terrible "tourniquet effect" and is unintentionally harmful to your health.
Elastic at the wrist, beware of skin reactions
It's a long-standing habit. From the moment we learned to style our hair without Mom's help, we started wearing a hair tie on our wrist for practicality and comfort. Since searching for a hair tie in a full bag is like looking for a needle in a haystack, we opted for the simplest solution, focusing on accessibility. With a hair tie on our wrist, we can create a ponytail in a flash and gather our unruly hair into a bun. It's a lifesaver for surviving bad weather, impromptu sprints after the bus, and concentration tests.
This hair tie stays attached to your wrist from morning till night, like a decorative object. You're unaware of its presence until you remove it and notice the damage to your skin. Your wrist feels like it's been cut. Even handcuffs seem less painful in comparison. It's a torture device disguised as a practical accessory. This hair tie, beyond breaking your ends and damaging your hair with every careless cut, silently tortures your skin.
That hair tie, which saves you from hair disasters, is a veritable breeding ground for bacteria. Hair product residue, pollution , and all sorts of germs make it a concentrated source of parasites. Imagine for a second that these substances could penetrate a wound. An American woman learned this the hard way, discovering an abscess in that very spot. The doctor's verdict? An infection caused by this everyday hair tie. "The bacteria entered her body through the skin and hair follicles, causing a major infection that could easily have led to septicemia, a potentially fatal condition," reports the local news outlet Wlky.com.
A small object causing traffic problems
This elastic band, hanging from the wrist, leaves marks similar to those left by skinny jeans two sizes too small, ultra-supportive push-up bras, and tight socks. You don't need a medical degree to recognize the signs of a circulation problem, especially when the imprint on the skin is almost purple and the hands feel like ice. “Reducing blood flow to any area of the body—any area—is never ideal, especially for extended periods,” warns Dhaval Bhanusali, a dermatologist at the Hudson Dermatology & Laser Surgery Center in New York, in an interview with HuffPost .
The elastic band mimics strangulation at the wrist, cutting off blood flow. As a result, blood doesn't circulate properly throughout the body. The wrist appears abnormally pale and feels colder to the touch. If, in addition to these sensations, you experience tingling or pins and needles, remove the elastic band immediately; it indicates nerve damage.
The subtle but real impact on the carpal tunnel
If you're not familiar with the anatomy of the body, the carpal tunnel is located at the base of the wrist. It's a tunnel on the front of the wrist. It's what allows you to move your hand, wave it like a cuckoo clock, and grasp various objects. While genetics plays a significant role in the pain experienced, people who type on a keyboard all day are more prone to carpal tunnel syndrome, as are those who wear a tourniquet-like device on their wrist.
When carpal tunnel syndrome is affected, you have more difficulty performing simple movements like folding laundry or stirring cake batter. You also lose strength, and even lightweight objects feel heavy. However, a single elastic band, strapped to your wrist, has minimal effect on this part of the body.
These are safer alternatives to traditional elastic bands
There's no question of letting your hair dictate your life and parting with this accessory, which is genuinely useful in everyday life. However, if you want to practice hair origami with complete peace of mind, without harming your health, you'll need to rethink your favorite styles. You can opt for XXL scrunchies in silk or linen: they have the advantage of being looser and maintaining a safe distance from your wrist.
They also have strong aesthetic appeal. Instead of slipping them onto your wrist, you can hang them from your bag's clasp like a charm. Spiral elastic bands are also less aggressive. Beyond their playful and childlike design, they have the advantage of being flexible and snug around your wrist instead of constricting it.
And why not choose a scarf? It requires a little more technical skill, but you can attach it to the handle of your bag and pull it out elegantly like the experts of la dolce vita.
