When North Korea threatened to send nuclear missiles to Guam, the island’s inhabitants received a strange order from defence experts: Don’t use conditioner.
A lethal fireball would probably incinerate everything – but for those that are not immediately pulverised, leftover dust could prove to be lethal too.
Shampoo and soap removes nuclear dust but conditioner can ‘bind radioactive material to your hair’, according to guidelines from Guam’s defence experts.
Conditioner pulls down the hair and leaves oily compounds which make deadly particles from a nuclear attack even harder to remove.
Conditioner pulls down the hair and leaves oily compounds which make deadly particles from a nuclear attack even harder to remove (stock image)
Nuclear dust particles are so tiny that can nestle into strands of human hair, according to a warning by Guam’s Office for Civil Defence, following threats of ballistic missiles from North Korea.
The reason conditioner is dangerous is because of the chemistry of human hair.
It is made of overlapping scales and unlike shampoo, conditioner has compounds that pull down these scales to smooth it.
‘It can come apart during the day like a pine cone,’ Andrew Karam, a radiation safety expert who consults for government response teams told National Defence Radio.
‘Radiation contamination particles can get between those scales’, he said.
Conditioner also leaves in specific oily compounds which make it easier for nuclear particles to stick to it. Unlike shampoo, it is meant to stay behind in the hair.
Not only conditioner, but people should also avoid using moisturisers and stick cosmetic products as they too collect radioactive dust, experts warned.
A lethal fireball would probably incinerate everything – but for those that are not immediately pulverised leftover dust could prove to be lethal too (stock image)
However, if water is available, survivors should shower with soap and shampoo to wash of radioactive dust.
If people survive an attack they should also take off their outer layer of clothing as this can also remove up to 90 per cent of radioactive materials.
‘Radioactivity is like changing a diaper’, said Dr Karam.
‘You don’t want it on you, but if you do get it on you, just wash it off and go on with your day’.
Guam, which is known as the ‘Tip of the Spear’, is home to thousands of American service members and their families at both Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Base Guam
Naval Base Guam (file above) is located on the west side of the island. There is an estimated 6,300 active duty Navy members and 6,900 family members living on Guam as well as a significant population of retired military personnel
People caught on the outskirts of an explosion should take shelter as soon as possible as radioactive waste can be carried by winds for hundreds of miles.
Any uncontaminated should be placed in a plastic bag, sealed, and left as far away from people as possible.
Experts recommend you also gently blow your nose and wipe eyelids and eyelashes with a clean cloth.
If you are unable to shower, use a wet wipe to clean any skin not covered by clothing.