Hairstreaq combs or hairbrushes, unpowered

The reports, as CPSC published them

1. Hospital admission

   Made Mar 11, 2025 · , sent to the company Mar 14, 2025 · , published by CPSC Mar 28, 2025

   The product, in the report: Hairstreaq Detangling Brush

   I was a 49 year old female who purchased a Hairstreaq Detangling Hairbrush through Amazon online. The Hairbrush was in a two-pack and each was identical except for the brush’s color. I used the same brush for about three months, approximately 4 times per day. At first it seemed fine, but gradually over time I started experiencing balance issues, then increased headaches. In the last two weeks of using the brush I started to feel my vision being disturbed and my headaches increased dramatically, as well as a fall. Near the end of June, 2024, I accidentally placed the hairbrush near a metal paperclip and it jumped from a short distance to the handle of the brush. I then discovered the hairbrush had a strong magnet inside the handle. I immediately stopped using the brushes and threw them away, but my symptoms were getting worse over the next few days. I went to a doctor and requested a Brain CT scan because I was fearful of my brain being injured. I have two brain shunts in my brain. These have programmable valves in the brain shunts. I have had many shunts implanted because of a childhood diagnosis of hydrocephalus. I have been informed for many years to avoid magnets near my head where the shunts are placed, including magnetic scanners and cell phones near my head because of the danger that magnets might cause to the shunt settings. On July 2, 2024 it was determined I had pressure on the brain. On July 4th, 2024 I was admitted through the Emergency Department for possible brain shunt surgery. That is when I told the neurosurgical resident about my discovery a few days before of the magnet in the brush handle being there without my knowledge, which I had been using for three months. I was sent for further imaging and it was determined that my shunt settings had changed from their original settings to incorrect settings that caused neurological symptoms from cerebrospinal fluid imbalance, which caused my brain to swell. Instead of surgery, they reset my valve settings externally to the correct settings with subsequent resolution of symptoms. My research shows that about 200,000 people are implanted each year with magnet-sensitive devices in the heart, head, and other areas, which could disrupt the device. There was no notice, warning, instructions, or labels on the hair brush or the inner or outer packaging that could let a consumer know of this danger of this product. A simple warning that the handle contained a magnet would have probably been enough to prevent this injury.

   Model

   N/A

   UPC

   N/A

   Serial number

   N/A

   Bought from

   Amazon

   Bought

   Mar 1, 2024, about then

   Where

   Huntigdon Valley, Pennsylvania: Home/Apartment/Condominium

   Who was involved

   Age 49, Female

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Self

   As this report names them

   Brand Hairstreaq, made or sold by Hairstreaq

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Injury, Hospital Admission

CPSC’s disclaimer

Sources