[Foradoption]

I got an e-mail that was forwarded on regarding the dangers of hair bands made from China and made with used condoms and their dangers. Has anyone else seen this? I'm thinking urban legend...

[CaddoRose]

Snopes.com says it's true with the story having been updated in Aug 2008


snopes.com: Condom Hair Bands

[Foradoption]

Yuck! I just don't see how they would dig in the trash for this type of thing.

[pgruodis]

I'm a fan of Snopes, but still don't believe it.
I would assume it would be much cheaper to cut apart a new one than hunt down and dig up used ones.

[Foradoption]

The thing is, I've never heard it on the national news...just through e-mail!

[ashmilf]

Oh yuck!! So now I have to wash my hairbands when I buy them?

[JoyS]

Hi,

I received the email as well - I was hoping it was not for real as it is really GROSS and scary to think about. The email I received actually had a link to Snopes.com & it shows as TRUE!!!

Yuck!

I would like to think that it is just the hairbands in the email.

[KarenInCa]

I also find this a bit unbelievable. I seriously doubt that large groups of people in a particular country saves (used) condoms for any reason whatsoever. And I doubt that collecting them will produce any source of income if they deliver them in to a "recycling" center.

[sak9645]

I would be more worried about lead based paint being used on the hairbands and other products. Lead based paint is still widely used in China, even on items like cribs. Given that many young girls wear hairbands, and sometimes take them off and put one end in their mouth, they could ingest small amounts of lead. Lead is a well known health hazard.

I would also be worried about other consumer product safety issues with inexpensive Chinese products, such as hairbands. As an example, many hairbands have small decorations affixed to them. If a parent puts one on a small child, and the child removes the hairband to suck on it, he/she could swallow a decoration. Depending on the size of the decoration, there could be a choking or aspiration hazard.

Personally, I believe that the used condom story is a total fabrication. But China does not have the sorts of consumer product safety rules, and the environmental health rules, that we have. Companies purchasing items, such as toys, from China, need to be absolutely clear about the fact that the items MUST be made to comply with American standards, if they are to be allowed to enter the country. And this means that the companies MUST put in place a rigorous program of quality monitoring. Lead paint, decorations that could choke a child, etc., are not urban legends. These things are real, well known, and harmful.

Sharon