Hairbands

I got the following e-mail today:

Take a good look before buying hair bands in future, especially the following kind:


These Hair bands were made from used rejected condoms.


BEIJING (AFP) - UsedRejected condoms are being recycled into hair bands in southern China threatening to spread sexually-transmittable diseases they were originally meant to prevent, state media reported Tuesday.

In the latest example of potentially harmful Chinese-made products, rubber hair bands have been found in local markets and beauty salons in Dongguan and Guangzhou cities in southern Guangdong province, China Daily newspaper said .

'These cheap and colorful rubber bands and hair ties sell well (...) Threatening the health of local people,' it said. Despite being recycled, the hair bands could still contain bacteria and viruses, it said .

'People could be infected with AIDS, (genital) warts or other diseases if they hold the rubber bands or strings in their mouths while waving their hair into plaits or buns,' the paper quoted a local dermatologist who gave only his surname, Dong, as saying. A bag of ten of the recycled bands sells for just 25 S en (three cents), much cheaper than others on the market, accounting for their popularity, the paper said.

Verified: http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/hairband.asp

Keep in mind, since these are rejected, not used condoms, the health risk is probably a lot more minimal than the article suggests. Still...

It is not at all unusual to stick that hairband in your mouth while you are combing your hair into place and getting it ready for the hairband. Mmm, delicious.

Thanks John!