At this time of year, many children are interested in dressing up for Halloween. Some adults also dress up for parties and ever festivities. While many costumes sold in stores are perfectly safe and while home-made costumes can be safe as well, each year some costumes cause serious injuries. Some even launch Homestead or South Florida products liability cases.
Whether you are making your own costumes or buying completed costumes, follow these tips to have fun on Halloween safely:
- Avoid contact lenses as part of your costume. Novelty contact lenses can be sold in-store and online but are not always safe. In fact, the FDA has found many novelty contact lenses for sale which are unsafe for use. Using unsafe lenses can lead to eye infections and permanent damage to the eyes. If you must have special contact lenses for your costume, visit an ophthalmologist to get safe contact lenses. Contact lenses are medical devices and need to be treated as such.
- Avoid masks. Masks can slip over your face and can impede visibility. Even if your mask stays on, it can limit your vision to either side of your face. It is safer to use face paint.
- Check for recalls and use common sense when shopping. At this time of year, the stores are filled with Halloween makeup, accessories, and costumes. When shopping, look at the quality and safety of products. Never get accessories or costumes with pointy ends or sharp edges. If you are buying for young children, never buy oversized costumes or ones with drawstrings, as these pose a strangulation risk.
- Buy safe makeup. Unsafe makeup can cause skin reactions and can lead to eye infections and damage to the skin and eyes. Instead of buying novelty makeup, consider buying actual cosmetics in the pharmacy or beauty store. It may have higher-quality ingredients and is generally from larger brands with stricter quality control standards. Be sure to check the ingredients list and expiration date of any makeup you purchase. Never share makeup applicators or makeup.
- Do a test run for visibility and mobility. Try on costumes before Halloween and walk around in them. Do not wear costumes which make it hard for you to see or move easily; these can lead to trip and fall accidents or even pedestrian accidents.
If you or your child have been injured by unsafe Halloween costumes or any other unsafe product, contact Flaxman Law Group at 1-866-352-9626 (1-866-FLAXMAN) to arrange a free accident consultation with a Homestead products liability attorney. Our legal team offers free initial consultations and we are proud to serve the entire South Florida area, so feel free to reach out to us today.