you are diabetic and no you cant use hair iron curler

[Blackheartednurse]

Ok so I have this patient that is diabetic and has numbness in her fingertips she always gets burns on her fingertip cause she cant feel the hot iron when she does her hair and I guess she accidently comes in contact with the iron! How do I explain to her she should consider going to hair sallon to get her hair fixed (other than that she is a great lady)

[llg, PhD, RN]

Is going to the salon really a practical solution for her? Can she afford that? How often would she need to go? Does she have transportation? etc.

Maybe rather than telling her what YOU think she should do, you could offer to help her figure out a way to avoid the burns. Maybe the 2 of you together would end up deciding that going to the salon would be the best choice ... but by letting her figure that out for herself, she would buy into it. And who knows, maybe she would come up with a better solution for herself.

[Aly529]

She's probably having a hard time accepting things are not the same.

Kindly let her know things change and her finger tips may not sense a hot iron so it's dangerous. Explain that you know it will more costly to her but maybe she can get someone to help her iron her hair instead as it would cost a lot more to treat burns on her fingertips.

[Picklefreak]

Going to the salon doesn't seem like a very practical solution to daily hairstyling. Maybe there are some other suggestions you could make to her. I wonder if wearing an Ove Glove would work? Or finding a hairstyle that doesn't require heat styling.

[JulieCVICURN, BSN, RN]

Oven gloves would be too thick, but I don't see why some other sort of glove wouldn't work. Something like a cotton glove. I suspect that her fingers don't stay on the curling iron for too long, surely not long enough to start a cotton glove on fire, and it would add a layer of protection to give her time to move her fingers before they burned.

Suggesting going to a hair salon is not only cost and time prohibitive, it is yet another area of self care that you are suggesting she give up control of. Not a good idea. Diabetes already takes away so much of your autonomous decisions, why take away another one if you don't absolutely have to?

[rnccf2007, BSN, RN]

Wow, good question for someone with diabetic neuropathy who wants to style their own hair. To suggest going to the salon may be unrealistic for many people r/t the high cost. Also, many people are non-compliant because they feel that they have no control over their own health care. Suggestion (not sure if I am right). Most people don't burn their hands or fingers when usining a curling iron. Could the patient wear gloves such as Isotoners or curl their hair while looking directly into the mirror and notice the position of their hands on the curling iron. while not touching the "hot spots"/

[digitiminimi]

They make gloves specifically for the purpose of not burning your hands when styling hair. This would be a great solution for her.

http://www.sleekhair.com/25809.html

http://www.folica.com/tools/accessories/hai-classic-pro-iron-glove

[retiredlady]

Instead of using a curling iron, suggest to her that she uses a blow brush. That's what I use, I hate curling irons because I do burn myself.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

recommend silicone gloves, the type they use in the kitchen.

[NoviceRN10]

They make gloves specifically for the purpose of not burning your hands when styling hair. This would be a great solution for her.

http://www.sleekhair.com/25809.html

http://www.folica.com/tools/accessories/hai-classic-pro-iron-glove

I have seen stylists or individuals wearing gloves when using really hot curling irons, this seems like a great idea :). Also, use the curling iron on the lowest heat setting !