美容燙傷：兒童被直髮器燙傷的數量激增至 20% 以上，令人震驚
- Increase is seen in the most serious burns treated in specialist units, not children seen and discharged from A&E
- One mother issues warning to others parents over “split second” that left her son with deep burn
- Electrical safety experts warn straighteners can reach more than 220 degrees, and take up to 40 minutes to cool down
- Children’s skin can be significantly thinner than adults in places, leaving them vulnerable to serious injuries from heat
國際燒傷資料庫（iBID）的最新數據顯示，2023年前六個月，直髮器造成的兒童燒傷和燙傷與去年同期相比增加了20%。
令人擔憂的是，這一數字的增加與更嚴重的傷害有關，即兒童必須被送往燒傷專家科室，而且令人擔憂的是，這還不包括從急診室就診並出院的數千名兒童。
Children’s Burns Trust, a charity dedicated to preventing burns and scalds in children and Electrical Safety First, whose aim is to reduce deaths and injuries caused by electricity in UK homes, are calling for heightened awareness and safety measures to protect young ones from an accident that can happen to any parent and child in the blink of an eye.
Experts are warning that hair straighteners can reach temperatures of over 220°C and stay hot up to 40 minutes after they have been switched off.
Common beauty appliances can pose a serious risk to children due to the high temperatures they reach. Accidents related to burns in children can happen in an instant and Children’s Burns Trust and Electrical Safety First are urging parents to keep straighteners out of the reach of children, whose curiosity can put them in danger.
Experts at the Children’s Burns Trust reveal how children’s skin can be significantly thinner than that of adults and with the temperatures that hair straighteners reach, serious burns to children are becoming all too common.
The majority of hair straightener burns among children happen when toddlers touch, grab or tread on the hot hair straightener plates.
黛比 (Debbie) 是幼兒比利 (Billy) 的媽媽，比利在 14 個月大時被直髮器燒傷，她說： 「當我們在樓上為這一天做準備時，我轉過身去，然後回頭看到比利拿著我的直髮器。他沒有出聲，一動不動地站著，眼睛睜得大大的，我從他手裡奪過直髮器，把他抱起來，跑進浴室，把他的手放在冰冷的水龍頭下。這時比利突然意識到了這一點，他開始哭泣。我從來沒有像現在這樣感到恐慌和恐懼。到達當地醫院後，我們被告知比利的燒傷很深，我們需要去皇家曼徹斯特兒童醫院的燒傷和塑膠科。他有三度燒傷，需要植皮。就在那時，愧疚感悄然而至，雖然它並沒有真正蔓延開來，但它像波浪一樣襲擊了我，從那時起它就再也沒有離開過我。大約 18 個月後，比利與 Burns & Plastic 善後團隊解約，但他的傷勢影響是持久的。身為家長，我只希望兩件事：首先，直髮器在他夠不到的地方，所以這件事根本不會發生，其次，這種事永遠不會發生在任何其他孩子或家長身上。
Hair Straighteners Safety Tips:
1.將直髮器放在兒童接觸不到的地方
2. Use a heat proof pouch to store the product after use
3. Follow the three C’s
In the event of a serious burn, follow the three Cs:
• Cool the burn with running tap water for 20 minutes if within 3 hours of burn injury. Remove any clothing, jewellery, nappies.
• Call for help – 111, 999 or local GP for advice.
• Cover the cooled burn with loose clingfilm or a clean non-fluffy cloth.
肯·鄧恩 (Ken Dunn) 是燒傷和整形外科醫生顧問（已退休），也是兒童燒傷信託基金會的副主席，其工作重點是兒童及其家庭，他說： 「兒童直髮器燒傷的增加令人深感不安。這些傷害是完全可以預防的，父母和照顧者了解與這些設備相關的風險至關重要。簡單的步驟，例如使用耐熱袋和確保適當的存儲，可以在保護我們的孩子免受這些事故影響方面發揮重大作用。
Electrical Safety First 的產品安全工程師 Giuseppe Capanna 評論道： 「每個家長都想保護自己的孩子，任何人都可能在眨眼間發生美容器具引起的燒傷甚至火災。當您拔掉設備插頭時，風險並沒有結束，因為直髮器產生的熱量仍然足夠高，足以在一段時間內導致灼傷。最好從為您提供耐熱墊的製造商那裡購買直髮器，使它們遠離易燃表面，並始終將它們放在兒童好奇的手夠不到的地方。
