Both Djulkowski and her friend had nail clips in their hair when the clash occurred. Although they escaped any scalp injuries, they experienced several days of headaches and neck pain.
“Without the nail clip, I probably wouldn’t have felt any pain at all, but it was a pretty minor incident,” Djurkowski said. So the awkward angle may have prolonged post-crash neck pain.
“I didn’t know this was a problem,” Djulkowski said.
Dr. J. Mack SlaughterAn emergency doctor working in the North Texas area told BuzzFeed News: claw clip chaos with other emergency physicians in the state who said they had personally seen some cases. (Some of his TikTok commenters said some people died from nail clippers, but there’s no evidence to verify those claims.)
“It takes a lot of force to break through the skull. The skull is very strong, so these plastic claw clips are much more likely to break before they do, but the ones with very thick teeth It makes me wonder,” said Slaughter. , he also told several neurosurgeons that none treated him after the nail clipping accident because it wasn’t serious enough to require treatment.
“If you’re talking about a life-threatening injury, my suspicion of it is pretty low,” Slaughter said. Unless there is an associated neck or spine fracture, we can usually send the patient home with repairs in the ER.”
Claw clips with metal pieces pose a higher risk of injury, while plastic clips can cause some damage. In many cases, clips don’t even break on impact (Jurkowski didn’t), but they might actually be better off, Slaughter says.
“Having the force absorbed by the clip itself and then crumbling is better than having the clip maintain its integrity and apply force directly to the scalp,” says Slaughter.
In some situations, claw clips may also protect against more serious head injuries such as concussions, but that depends on the shape and stiffness of the clip’s material.
“Thinner, rounder and more flexible, it will absorb or displace some of the impact force, and may protect against more severe head injuries,” Slaughter said. “But if it were a thick, stiff linear he clip, the force would just go straight to the head and could definitely cause more damage, especially if the clip has a sharp tip.”
However, nail clipping scars after a car accident can look pretty gruesome. Scratches to the head or face can bleed profusely and often look worse than they actually are.
It bleeds, bleeds, bleeds because it is overcompensated to ensure that there is always enough blood flow to the brain. Without blood flow, the brain dies pretty quickly,” Slaughter said. “People always come into the emergency room with very small lacerations on the scalp, but inside the head it’s like a fatal wound because you’re bleeding everywhere, your hair is soaked, your face is dry with blood. Because it’s stuck. When you find the cut, it’s like an inch.”
That said, the best way to avoid this type of injury is to remove the claw clips while in the car and remove only sharp or pointed objects from the back of the head, or use a scrunchie or other It is to keep your hair in check using accessories.
And remember to keep your feet off the dashboard while practicing safe driving etiquette, Slaughter said. If the car stops suddenly or an airbag deploys, there is a risk of serious injury, such as a hip fracture.
Slaughter provided this bonus tip for people worried about car crashes. seat belt cutter and window puncher On your keychain as it may help you get out of your car if you are involved in a serious crash.