Worst nightmare. Elizabeth Smith suffered a stroke after getting a blowout at a local salon in San Diego.
The mom of two, 48, visited a blow-dry bar in December 2013 for a styling session. But a week later, muscles in her arms and legs felt limp. After two weeks, she had a full-on stroke.
"I vomited, my head became hot, and I couldn't stand. I had weakness in my arms and legs," she told a local ABC News outlet. "They didn't think I was going to live.” X-rays revealed that Smith's vertebrae cut off her artery, blocking circulation, and she's currently suing the salon for not adjusting the chair for her shorter height.
Smith says she still has issues with strength, balance and vision since the incident and a blood clot remains in her brain. Her neurologists say that if the clot moves, she could die. "I go to sleep wondering, will I wake up tomorrow?" she told the news station.
According to her doctors, the culprit was Beauty Parlor Syndrome, the symptoms of which were first reported by the New York Times in 1993. The condition is caused by a neck's position in the shampoo sink, which can constrict blood flow to the brain.
Although uncommon (elderly clients or those with arthritis are more at risk), it can be avoided by not over-extending your neck backward or twisting more than 15 degrees while getting washed, according to the Times. Extra padding under your neck, like a waterproof cushion or added towels could also help.
