I’ve got WHAT in my hair?

Hair styling has long been a key part of the female beauty regimen, regardless of what fashions have come and gone. Hair accessories, however, do not usually come flavored, lubricated or coated in spermicidal jelly – well, not until now. The latest rage in hair products was brought to light by some young women in Chiang Mai, who discovered that the colorful hair scrunchies they had found at bargain prices were not exactly what they seemed. After a few days of wear, the fabric’s outer layer began to wear off, and on the inside, instead of the customary length of elastic, there was a translucent latex tube. On closer examination, the women in question were shocked to find that the pretty bands they had been using to keep their hair in place were once condoms. Dr Ratthawut Sukmi, from the Chiang Mai Provincial Health Office, said that the offending products were likely to have been imported from China. He reassured the women of Chiang Mai that in all likelihood the condoms used to make the hair scrunchies had not yet been used for their intended purpose, though he did not specify how he knew this. Phatchariphon Wongsrida, 28, from Chiang Mai, said she felt disgusted when she heard the news. She added that she would not stop buying hair scrunchies as she considered them a necessity for women, but in future she would be very careful in her selection. Chuchai Udompot, a customs officer at the Mae Sai border post in Chiang Rai Province, said that he had warned all the officers to be on the lookout for the rubber scrunchies. He added, however, that this did not mean they would necessarily stop them from being imported, as he did not know if the products actually violated any regulations.