In middle and high school, one of my favorite ways to wear my hair was in what we called a banana clip. Iâd brush my hair back and gather it like I was doing a ponytail. Then Iâd twist the hair up and clip the bottom so on a good day, the hair would fall in a waterfall effect.
It was cute and definitely a signature look. But now I realize that particular style actually poses a risk. Now that claw clips are trendy again, several women on TikTok are sharing how wearing their hair in them actually made injuries they sustained in car crashes more severe.
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Jeena Panesar was driving on a foggy road at night when she hit a tree.
Panesar, a 19-year-old British student teacher, survived a traumatic car crash and is advising people not to wear claw clips at all â or at least while theyâre driving, the New York Post reported.
Panesar was driving 50 mph at night on a foggy road where the sped limit was 60. Then, her car hit a tree before skidding and flipping over. Her head slammed against the roof of the car.
'I thought I was going to die,' Panesar said.
In addition to the head trauma from the roof of the car, Panesarâs claw clip jammed into the back of her head, lodging itself âskull deepâ into her flesh, according to Kennedy News, a syndication agency. âItâs sad to say, but I kind of thought I was going to die,â Panesar told the outlet.
The impact from the car and the clip left her in shock. âIt was just really painful. If youâve ever worn a claw clip and forgotten to take it out and lay down on your back, itâs that pressure and that discomfort,â she said.
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Panesar was able to get the attention of passersby.
Thankfully, Panesar was able to crawl out of her car from the shattered window. She flagged down a driver in a nearby car. After that, she passed out. When she woke up, Panesar discovered that the good Samaritans had called her parents and the paramedics, who drove her to Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham. A nurse was able to remove the clip.
Panesar warned people on TikTok to not wear claw clips while driving.
âWhen I arrived at the hospital, a female nurse was like, âOh thatâs probably really painful.â She turned me over and took it out,â Panesar said. Once the clip was removed, Panesar was left with a 30-centimeter (12-inch) wound from the back of her scalp to her left eyebrow. She wasnât able to move her eyebrows for six weeks after the crash because of the muscle damage in her forehead.
Panesar was in the hospital for three days being cleaned and stitched up. Now that sheâs come out on the other side of this experience, she has some advice. âNow Iâve seen itâs happened to other people too, so Iâm part of a rare handful of people in this world who have experienced that. Donât wear a claw clip whatsoever when driving. If you want to tie your hair up, just use a rubber band,â she said.
This wasn't an isolated incident.
Panesar is far from the only person to have lived this story. In fact, a number of women have taken to social media to warn others about wearing claw clips in the car, after suffering similar injuries. A quick search on TikTok reeveals dozens of videos on the topic.
The same thing happened to 18-year-old Paisley Riley, who was riding in an all-terrain vehicle when it flipped over. Her claw clip was lodged in her scalp and she needed five staples to close the wound.
But your car doesnât have to flip over in order for the clip to injure you. Even bumping the back of your headrest too hard can cause injury. Itâs the reason why auto shop owner, Audra Fordham, advises placing the clip at the top of your head while youâre driving, if youâre going to wear it at all, according to Inside Edition. This is definitely a better safe than sorry situation.
