‘As a nurse who schedules MRIs for my patients, I have NEVER thought to ask..’
A woman got more than she bargained for when an MRI led to the ultimate bad hair day. In the TikTok clip, which has amassed 2.3 million views, Savannah McAllister (@savysav55) began by showing viewers how her hair extensions were partly pulled away from her head, leading to a sparse, uneven look. “Let me tell you something that they should they should talk to you about on an MRI,” she said.
Featured Video
“They ask you all these questions like, ‘Do you have a pacemaker?’ ‘Do you have any metal rods or screws?’ ‘You got any type of implants?’ Yada yada yada. OK, well, the one question that they did not ask me was, ‘Do you have fake hair or hair extensions or anything like that in your head?’”
So, McAllister explained how she started to go through the MRI machine, but quickly noticed her hair was “pulling out of [her] head.” She says she flagged this to the technician, who asked her if she had any hair extensions. McAllister confirmed she did and noted that it wasn’t one of the questions the technician or form asked. The technician then asked McAllister if she could put her hair up so it would be held down.
“And I’m like, ‘Hold it down? My head’s about to come off!’” McAllister added. “She told me that it wasn’t going to get any stronger, and that if I could tolerate it, we’d be fine. So I had to lay there for 26 minutes with my hair being pulled out of my head. And that’s not the type of hair pulling I like, I tell you that.”
Most viewers weren’t on her side
However, some commenters had little sympathy for McAllister’s ordeal. “They ask if you have any metal – and you obviously said no. How is this anyone’s fault but your own?” one wrote. “It’s gotten to the point where people need to start taking some responsibility and disclose anything not natural or native to the human body,” another added. “Common sense.”
While a third echoed, “Hunny, it’s common sense. It’s a giant magnet.”
In two follow-up videos, McAllister insisted that she was unaware these hair extensions had metal in them. She also shared that she was using a new type of hair extension, and hadn’t had issues in the other MRI scans she’s had.
Moreover, she updated the original video’s description. “Was unaware the extensions were metal guys!” she wrote. “Was told they were plastic. So, y’all can chill on the comments about metal in an MRI machine! I know how magnets work, [and] as far as I was concerned they were not metal.”
McAllister didn’t immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via TikTok comment.
@savysav55 Here’s a tip for the ladies, if you have hair extensions don’t get an MRI🤣**update video posted! Was unaware the extentions were metal guys! Was told they were plastic. So yall can chill on the comments about metal in an MRI machine! I know how magnets work..& as far as I was concerned they were not metal..🤣 #mri #fail #scared #fyp #foryoupage ♬ original sound – Savannah McAllister
Should you wear hair extensions at an MRI scan?
A risk assessment form by the National Health Service (NHS) in Scotland says that certain types of hair extensions, including ‘micro-rings’ and those attached with silver clips, pose a risk when it comes to MRI scans. As well as mentioning the “pulling” that McAllister experienced, the risk assessment also notes that there’s a risk of the metal burning the patient.
Ultimately, the risk assessment says that extensions should be removed prior to going in an MRI machine, while “micro-ring” extensions have the potential to delay treatment if not removed.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.