INTRODUCTION
Hair prosthetics are widely used to improve the quality of life standards for patients suffering from a variety of hair conditions, such as alopecia.1 The use of hair prosthetics in the setting of alopecia can critically augment a patient's confidence and social assimilation.2 Strict care is necessitated while handling hair prosthetics and their fixatives or adhesives; use may cause injury to the hair and scalp.3 However, current epidemiological data on hair prosthetic injury in emergency settings are limited. This study investigates the epidemiology of hair prosthetic injury-related cases in US emergency departments (EDs) from 2013-2022.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), which collects data from a nationally representative cohort of 100 EDs, was queried on 10/29/2024, using keywords "wig", "wigs", "hairpiece", "hairpieces", "toupe", "toupes", "toupee", and "toupees", and demographic data was collected. T-value tests assessed differences between genders and age (P<0.05).
RESULTS
A total of 88 hair prosthetic-related injury cases were analyzed, with a mean age of 34 years (range: 2–84). Most patients were female (94.1%), 10.2% White race, and 53.4% Black race. From 2013–2022, injuries increased by 56.3% overall (Figure 1). White women more frequently presented with hair prosthetic injuries than White men (10.8% vs 0.0%, P=0.002), and race documentation was less frequent in patients aged 35+ compared to younger patients (46.3% vs 25.5%, P=0.04; Tables 1, 2).
The most common diagnoses included dermatitis, lacerations, and contusions, with no variation by age. Lacerations were more frequently documented in women than men (16.9% vs 0.0%, P<0.001). Patients over 35 and women had more varied diagnoses classified as "other" (36.6% vs 10.6%, P<0.05; 24.1% vs 0.0%, P0.00001). Women more often reported pain from wigs than men (6.0% vs 0.0%, P=0.02).
The most commonly injured body parts included the head, eyes, and ears, with women experiencing significantly more ear
The most common diagnoses included dermatitis, lacerations, and contusions, with no variation by age. Lacerations were more frequently documented in women than men (16.9% vs 0.0%, P<0.001). Patients over 35 and women had more varied diagnoses classified as "other" (36.6% vs 10.6%, P<0.05; 24.1% vs 0.0%, P0.00001). Women more often reported pain from wigs than men (6.0% vs 0.0%, P=0.02).
The most commonly injured body parts included the head, eyes, and ears, with women experiencing significantly more ear
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