Hygiene, hair and personal care
Many young people with arm and hand differences use adaptive strategies and aids to help them perform personal care tasks.
Aids
There are a variety of adaptive aids you can use to help you perform personal care tasks. Below are just a few of many aids that are available to you:
- Long handled brushes or combs, sponges and shavers
- Hand-held shower heads
- Long handled sponges
- Universal cuffs and built-up handles to aid in holding/gripping any personal care items such as deodorants, shavers, brushes and combs
- A clipper that is fixed in place (nailed or glued to a surface)
Adaptive strategies
The way that you perform personal care tasks is unique to you and your particular hand or arm difference. There is no “right way” of doing these tasks; do them the way that works the best for you!
Watch the videos below to see how Alicia and Lauren, young women with brachial plexus injury, adapt to the tasks of washing and styling their hair.
Washing and styling hair
Applying shampoo and conditioner: Embracing Our Limb Differences – Alicia
Alicia is a young adult with a left brachial plexus birth injury who had difficulty shampooing and conditioning her hair. She demonstrates how she overcame this challenge by using a shower dispenser or dispensing the product on her forearm and using her dominant hand to scoop up the product.
Styling my hair: Embracing Our Limb Differences – Lauren
Lauren is a young adult with a right brachial plexus birth injury who had difficulty putting her hair in a ponytail or bun and drying her hair. She demonstrates how she overcame these challenges by using a counter or wall for support when tying up her hair and using a hair dryer brush to dry her hair.
Getting dressed
Watch the videos below to see how Audrey adapts to the tasks of putting on and taking off different types of shirts and pants.
Putting on and taking off shirts: Embracing Our Limb Differences – Audrey
Audrey is a young adult with a left brachial plexus birth injury. She demonstrates how she puts on and takes off short-sleeve shirts, sweaters and blouses with buttons using just one hand.
Putting on and taking off pants: Embracing Our Limb Differences – Audrey
Audrey is a young adult with a left brachial plexus birth injury. She demonstrates how she puts on and takes off pants and leggings using just one hand.
Applying makeup
Applying makeup: Embracing Our Limb Differences – Sheriauna
Sheriauna is a young adult who is a below-the-elbow amputee. She demonstrates how she applies her makeup, including foundation, blush, mascara and highlighter.
There are many other ways you can adapt, like Alicia, Lauren, Audrey and Sheriauna, to performing different personal care tasks. Check back to this page to watch other videos on how other young people with arm and hand differences perform various grooming tasks.
To view the entire Embracing Our differences library, click here.
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