Woman has hand amputated after freak accident with hair dryer

Woman loses hand after using hair dryer A U.S. woman says she suddenly passed out while using a blow dryer and it caused third degree burns to her hand as she lay unconscious.

A South Carolina woman wants to see more safety features on hair dryers, after she lost her hand in an accident while using one.

Mary Wilson was getting ready to dry her hair on Feb. 7 when she suddenly went unconscious.

"The last thing I have recollection of is walking into the bathroom with my blow dryer and getting ready to blow dry my hair," she told ABC News affiliate WCIV.

As she lay unconscious for about 20 minutes, hot air from the blow dryer scorched her hand and caused severe nerve damage. Her partner found her and she was rushed to hospital.

"The burns on my hand were third-degree burns, they were all the way to the bone," she recalled. Wilson’s hand and wrist were amputated due to her injuries.

Wilson is now calling for hair dryers to have automatic shut-off features, similar to ones that some flat irons have.

Despite experiencing a huge life change, Wilson, a dog groomer, is staying positive about the ordeal.

"I'm still going to live my life to the fullest. It’s just a hand. What is this, 10 per cent of my body? Losing my hand may be something that changes who I am, but that doesn't mean that it defines me on everything."