Hair straightener poisoning occurs when someone swallows chemicals used to straighten hair.

This is for information only and not for use in the treatment or management of an actual poison exposure. If you have an exposure, you should call your local emergency number (such as 911) or the National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.

• Ammonium thioglycolate (found in relaxer/straightener products that do not use lye)
• Guanidine hydroxide (found in relaxer/straightener products that do not use lye)
• Mineral oil
• Polyethylene glycol
• Sodium hydroxide (found in relaxer/straightener products that use lye)

• Various hair straighteners

• Eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and throat
  • Loss of vision
  • Severe pain in the throat
  • Severe pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue
• Gastrointestinal
  • Blood in the stool
  • Burns of the food pipe (esophagus)
  • Severe abdominal pain
  • Vomiting
  • Vomiting blood
• Heart and blood
  • Collapse
  • Low blood pressure that develops rapidly
  • Severe change in blood acid levels -- leads to organ damage
• Lungs
  • Breathing difficulty
  • Throat swelling (may cause breathing difficulty)
• Skin
  • Burn
  • Holes (necrosis) in the skin or tissues underneath
  • Irritation