A mother from Scotland has issued a critical safety alert to all parents after her four-month-old baby daughter came within hours of losing a toe because of a single strand of hair.
The Terrifying Discovery
Emma Devon, 32, from Cumbernauld, faced every parent's nightmare on December 16. While getting her infant daughter, Rosie, ready for bed, she and her partner James, also 32, noticed something horrifying. A hair was tightly wound around one of Rosie's tiny toes, which had become red and swollen. The couple believe the hair was already inside the sock they had put on Rosie that morning.
"It was so distressing," Emma recounted. What followed was a three-day ordeal that would see their baby rushed for emergency surgery. Initial attempts by the worried parents to remove the hair themselves proved futile, prompting an urgent call to A&E.
Race Against Time for Emergency Surgery
Emma and James first contacted University Hospital Monklands. Medical staff there tried to source hair removal cream and even attempted to use stitch cutters, but the inflammation was too severe. The situation was escalating rapidly.
Rosie was subsequently transferred to The Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow. There, a specialist paediatric doctor managed to remove some of the trapped hair, but the procedure caused bleeding and increased irritation. Doctors delivered a shocking prognosis: Rosie was merely hours away from needing an amputation. The hair had acted as a tourniquet, severely restricting blood flow to the toe.
"I never thought it would've been that serious," Emma told the Daily Record. "Then the consultant said the injury was serious and could've led to an amputation." The parents were stunned, having earlier dismissed their eldest son's dramatic question about whether Rosie would lose her toe.
A Vital Warning for All Parents
Medical professionals explained that this type of injury, known as a hair tourniquet, is surprisingly common in babies and toddlers up to two years old. It can occur on fingers, toes, or even genitals, with hairs often hiding in socks, mittens, or sleepsuits.
"We keep playing it over in our heads," Emma said. "How close did she come to losing her toe? I'm shocked that something so innocent could result in something so dangerous."
Thankfully, after successful emergency surgery to fully remove the hair, Rosie was discharged from hospital two nights later. Emma's story now serves as a powerful caution for caregivers to be vigilant. Experts advise parents to regularly check their infant's extremities, especially after changing clothes, and to inspect the insides of garments for loose threads or hairs.
