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Aug. 13, 2025 - Dr. Oz Podcast
40:48
Hair Relaxer Dangers EXPOSED + Hidden Risks in Beauty Products | Dr. Oz | S11 | Ep 7 | Full Episode
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Time Text
A beauty investigation.
We uncover the horror of human hair trafficking.
What is that?
Is that burnt hair or is that plastic?
Plastic.
And personal stories.
Hair is just coming out on the dangers of straightening products.
I could feel my hair going down my back.
Plus, a nail salon whistleblower.
Is your manicure a health risk?
My main concern is the products that I use causing cancer.
Coming up next.
Are you ready for season 11?
Yeah!
Today, our biggest hair investigation ever with breaking news sending shockwaves through the beauty world.
Now, in a few minutes, we're showing you a special investigation into the underground world of human hair trafficking.
It is real.
It's big.
The team crisscrossed the globe to find out where your wigs, your weaves, and your extensions really come from.
And you're going to be shocked.
And right now, straightening treatments promising to take your hair from this to this.
What's in these hair straightening products that could be causing such concerning side effects?
And could it be so bad that it's sending women to the ER?
Well, take a look.
I decided to put a relaxer in it.
So I go to wash my hair out, going through my hair, and hair is just coming.
It's just coming up.
I bought this new product for my hair that I thought would help it.
It started just coming out in patches.
I could feel my hair coming out and going down my back.
I mean, it's gripping.
It's gripping.
It affects a lot of us.
So I had to call in our go-to hair investigator, Curly Nikki, to help get to the root of the problem.
What are in these chemical hair straightening products that could be causing some of these concerning side effects, like the eye irritation or the loss of hair?
Strong chemicals, Dr. Iz.
Formaldehyde, Lye.
Chemicals that, if they get on your skin, they can cause serious injuries.
And I'm a mom.
I have two kids.
I love them, but I also like my me time.
So I spend a lot of time trying to sneak out and go to the spa, go to salons.
But after I found out that some of these salons have air pollution, literally formaldehyde in the air, the same stuff that we use to varnish floors in the air, in our hair, we have to be careful.
We have to know what establishments we're going to and what type of stylus we're seeing to make sure they're up on all the research, protecting themselves and protecting us.
So let's go through some of the most popular treatments.
The Brazilian Blowout to Keratin Straighteners.
Yes, that actually is the same treatment with two different names, and it smooths the hair without actually altering the curl structure.
So after so many washes, allegedly, you can go back to having curly hair, but I've seen it go wrong a lot.
So you need to do your research, get to a great stylist that knows how to use the product.
The ingredient is formaldehyde.
That was the main ingredient for years, but they've actually taken that out.
And now most of the formulas are formaldehyde free.
But the ingredients that are in the new formulas actually mimic formaldehyde or they actually release formaldehyde when they are exposed to heat, like glycolic acid or methylene glycol.
So be wary of those ingredients.
And obviously, if it does start to bother you, there's a potential reason for it.
That's right.
So in addition to the Brazilian blowout and the keratin straighteners, there are the relaxers that everyone seems to love.
I think you say the relaxers can leave the eyes vulnerable because of a topical chemical burn.
Exactly.
So a lot of women like relaxers because it's a one-step hair straightening treatment.
It's very convenient.
But if you notice here, it's a cream and it's applied to the hair in sections.
But because of the texture of the consistency of the relaxer itself, it can clump and slide.
You see that?
Down the skin, down your forehead, and into your eye.
And I'm talking chemical burns like all the way.
And it's very, very dangerous.
Now, lye is very, it has a very high pH.
It's a known skin irritant.
So a lot of formulas now are no lye relaxers.
But here's the catch.
It's harsher on the hair.
If I have a choice, I'd rather have problems with my hair than a problem with this.
I hear that.
I have a picture of a chemically burned eyeball.
You don't want that.
Now, this is not a treatment from Beauty Salon, thank goodness, but it's versions of that that you've got right now.
Absolutely.
Now, next, there's a thing called the Japanese straightening process, which I'd never heard of, but apparently, while our women get it, it's also called thermal reconditioning.
You may have heard that.
So, can you teach us about that?
Yeah, you know, so this treatment is very different from like the Brazilian blowouts.
You do not get your curls, your texture back.
It's gone after you've done this treatment.
It's like a relaxer in that it's permanent.
So, only new growth happens after that.
That's curly.
So, what they do is they apply a solution to the hair.
The solution weakens the bonds of the hair, which is what gives the hair structure.
And then, after it's rinsed, the solution is rinsed, it's blow-dried, but not 100%.
So, imagine that this is damp hair.
The solution is just rinsed, but there's still some solution.
The stylus takes the flat iron and straightens small sections one at a time.
And when that happens, it releases the steam that has thioglycolic acid in it.
So, again, it seems so innocent, right?
You don't see.
Oh, you know what we should do, Dr. As?
Put these on.
Do the practitioners wear these?
Yes, they're supposed to.
So, just go ahead and do that.
As you're pulling that out, the steam that comes off, and in that steam is thioglycolic acid, which is a known skin irritant.
It also causes eye irritation and allergic reactions.
So, can you ask for goggles if you're having this done to you?
You can definitely ask, but they may not have them.
If you go to a salon that specializes in this, you wouldn't have to worry.
They're going to have all the research done.
They're going to have cross-ventilation going on in there.
They're going to have masks for you, but have your own just in case.
And they have sexier goggles than these.
Way, way sexier.
So, we reached out to a few salon and chemical trade groups to comment.
We did not hear back in time for this taping.
I just want to emphasize: when used properly, these chemicals are supposed to be safe according to the FDA.
Exactly.
So, these are not folks just throwing the stuff at you.
Right.
But it raises concerns.
Two of our viewers are here because they have concerns about the use of chemical hair straighteners, and we invited them to join the investigation.
Nikki's got two easy-at-home solutions.
They're going to help these two guests and may help you as well.
So, Jessica, you actually have receipts from having your hair straightened.
Apparently, you're doing it so frequently, it's added up to a fair amount.
It's added up to so much.
This is them.
This is all of them, yeah.
Oh, gosh.
It's a lot.
That's a novel.
You can make a novel.
Like a book right there.
Yeah, just in hair straightening treatments.
And I'm looking for a solution and what's going to work for me.
I mean, so it's time-consuming, but it's expensive.
It's so expensive.
So, do you have a hack that you can do?
I do, I do.
I want to know: is your hair wavy?
Is it curly?
My hair is ringlets.
Ringlets.
Shirley Temple.
Really?
Yeah, naturally.
Yeah.
Without the keratin?
Yeah.
So I want to say your hair is gorgeous the way it is right now.
But I would not be curly Nikki, Dr. Us, if I did not say that my number one recommendation would be to work with your texture, work with your curls instead of against.
You will have healthier, happier hair.
And this is a great solution.
It's cost-effective.
You probably already have all of these things at home.
It's very easy to do.
And it's going to make your curls smoother naturally.
It's like an at-home relaxer.
So we'll do a tablespoon of lime juice and then a cup of whole fat Greek yogurt and a cup of coconut milk.
And you're going to mix all of that together and apply to your dry hair in small sections.
I already added it for you.
Save you the time.
Perfect.
Still apply it in small sections, put on a plastic processing cap and leave it in for at least 30 minutes and then rinse and style as usual.
And your hair will be looser.
Your curls will be looser.
They'll be shinier.
And this is like food for your hair.
It'll be healthier too.
And you'll save money.
So in theory, you do, I'm making this up a half of these, right?
Definitely.
Every other one you do.
We can definitely stand that you go between your hair.
Put that cash back in your pocket.
Thank you very much.
All right.
Latoya's here.
Latoya has a different word.
She's worried that she's damaging your hair because you're straightening it too often.
Yes, I've been straightening my hair frequently over the years, and I want the option of having curls, but my curls just are not coming back.
I have super, super straight on one side, and I have some curls, but I want to get them to come back, but I'm not sure of how to do that because of all the processing that I've done over there.
So the best way to prevent the damage, but get the same results is?
So first, I'm going to tell you that you're going to have to transition that damage out slowly doing small trims.
That's something we can't avoid.
But in the meantime, we can nourish your hair.
There is something that's trending right now in the States, but it's an age-old beauty secret.
Eritrean women, Ethiopian women have been using it for generations.
It's called Clarified Butter.
Okay.
And it actually protects your hair.
It prevents future breakage and it stops current breakage.
So while you're growing out the damage, you can be nourishing it with clarified butter.
Awesome.
How frequently can I use it?
You can use it as often as you'd like to.
I would say at least once every two weeks and you'd apply it in very small sections.
I'll show you.
Okay.
Apply it in small sections mainly because you want to make sure you're getting every strand.
And you can also get it on your scalp too.
It'll nourish your scalp.
So you apply it in small sections and then just like with the last treatment, you'll apply a plastic baggie.
For best results, leave this in overnight.
Okay.
If you only have a little bit of time, 30 minutes is okay with a plastic processing cap, rinse style as usual, and you're good to go.
Awesome.
What do you think?
A DIY solution.
Yes, I'm looking forward to using it.
It's awesome.
You'll love it.
It's so rich.
I love it.
Nikki's always wonderful advice, Jessica Latoya.
Appreciate the questions.
You go to drive.com for CurlyNikki's DIY hair straightener recipe.
It might be tasty too.
Yeah, coming up.
A serious topic.
A shocking look into the world of human hair trafficking to reveal the truth about your wigs, your weaves, and your extensions.
Plus, the simple way to know where your hair is really coming from.
Stay with us.
We're back investigating one of the biggest hair questions that you have: where does the hair in your weaves, your wigs, and your extensions come from?
Our friends at Refinery 29 decided to find out for their shady series, which looks at the business behind beauty.
And this installment, they got crisscrossed.
You know why?
Because they have to go around the globe to get you answers.
Take a look.
Hollywood's best kept secret is far from new.
Both black and Orthodox Jewish communities have openly worn hair for generations.
But it's just now that the popularity has exploded into the mainstream.
Celebrities have opened up on social media about wearing human hair, revealing just how common wigs and extensions are on the red carpet and in everyday life.
It's difficult to trace the origin of much of the hair on the market.
It's no surprise because the hair trade has always been shady.
For centuries, hair brokers have used any means necessary to get their hands on hair.
In the 1800s, peasant women in France were lured into being shorn like sheep.
In the early 1900s, it was reported that hair sold in the States was coming from sewers and corpses in China.
Hair dealers were thought to be so shady, they were banned from Ellis Island.
Controversy continued into the 21st century, as reported by CNN.
She lost eight inches of hair.
From the robber's perspective, it's quick and relatively easy money.
One constant in all of this is that the hair trade sets up shop wherever women are the most disenfranchised.
And the people who end up wearing the hair are often unaware of the journey it took to get to them.
Most people do not know where their hair comes from, and I don't think they care.
Rika Hales, the founder of a hair extension salon in Los Angeles, didn't particularly care either until she got scammed.
Push it, push it, push it, push it, push it.
There you go.
Oh, it fries.
They fried the hair.
And I can smell it.
It smells like, what is that?
Is that burnt hair or is that plastic?
It's plastic.
Plastic.
Mixed with what's known as fallen hair.
It's the cheapest tier of human hair collected from salon floors, hairbrushes, and drains.
The hair is detangled, processed with chemicals, coated with silicone, and sometimes mixed with synthetic and animal hair.
Refinery 29's beauty editor and creator of the shady series, Lexi Lepsback.
Lebsak.
Lepsak.
Harmono Mambi Proud.
And Curly Nikki joins us again.
Why is the world of hair trade so secretive?
I mean, that was the question that we were trying to answer, and it's sort of, there's a couple parts to it.
So, first and foremost, there's only so much hair out there.
So, especially when you're talking about different colors and textures and especially lengths, the hair dealers who are acquiring this hair will use any means necessary to protect the secrecy of where they got it from.
But unfortunately, the secrecy mixed with the lack of total no regulation in the U.S. over the human hair trade has bred this entire world where women are being exploited in the developing world and in conflict zones, getting paid for just pennies on the dollar For what will eventually be sold in the U.S. for a lot of money.
So, your series has ruffled some feathers.
Yes.
But this in particular, I suspect, was not well received by the buyers of hair.
What do they do?
What do they said?
Yes, I mean, we met with one buyer in Vietnam who was getting death threats about a lot of the hair that he was ethically sourcing.
And in terms of our actual feature, I don't think any of the hair brokers were very happy we were doing it.
We would maybe find a broker, like we found one guy in Ukraine, for example, and he, you know, told us some of his secrets.
He agreed to be on camera, all of this stuff.
And then the same story kept happening, which is as soon as we would lock down dates, they would just disappear or they would get cold feet and they would just bounce.
So it's like, yeah.
There's something bad happening here.
Right.
So for everyone who wears human hair in their wigs, the weaves and extensions but never thought about it and who it came from in the first place, it's about to get very personal.
For some, matching specific textures and colors is worth paying top dollar for.
Blonde, red, wavy, coily.
The more niche the hair is, the more expensive and harder it is to source, making this type of hair prime for exploitation.
After months of back and forth, only one of them agreed to show us their operation.
We set out to Vietnam to meet him.
Hair sellers here have been known to offer women next to nothing for their hair or offer them what sounds like a good rate, only to disappear before payment.
Hi!
Dan's mission is to make his company, Remy New York, one of the first ethical and totally transparent companies on the market.
This level of high-quality hair isn't something you can fake.
And as soon as I saw Dan's hair, I knew he was doing something right.
But he invited us out to see for ourselves.
Hi!
Hi!
How are you?
For the previous times, they only offered about two or three dollars for her hair.
That's like actually criminal.
It hits home that the hair trade starts with women like Tweed.
Behind many of these wigs and extensions is a woman making the tough choice to sell her hair to better her life.
Dan paid Twee a little over $100.
The money is more than a month's worth of living expenses for her entire family.
You know, there's no shortage of hair companies in the world, but there's no companies that want to make a difference, that want to change lives.
The reason why I'm doing this is because I know that nobody else will and nobody else has.
You gotta love that guy.
I know.
He just sends all the right vibes.
So listen, hair is very personal.
I get it.
It's attached to your self-image.
For those of you who want to wear human and still feel good about yourself, there are ethically sourced options.
So Nikki, how do you know if you're buying something from a gentleman like we just saw or some scoundrel who's mixing with plastic?
Definitely.
Well, there are a lot of manufacturers now that are sourcing directly from India, which there is a religious ceremony there where the women freely cut and give their hair to the temple so that the manufacturers can go over there and buy the hair in bulk and then bring it back here at reasonable prices.
So you know that that hair is ethically sourced.
They used to burn that hair.
Yes.
But then they don't have to.
It's not part of the ceremony, from what I understand.
So you might as well take advantage of beautiful hair from people who want to give it voluntarily or if they're getting paid adequately.
That's a wonderful reporting.
Dynamic, powerful, and influential.
Thank you so much.
You're going to find the full investigation on Refinery 29's YouTube page.
Check it out.
It's superb.
Carol Nikki, as always, we adore you.
Thank you.
Be right back.
Up next, how safe is your nail polish?
Find out if you're being exposed to dangerous chemicals.
a whistleblower speaks out about her fears of getting cancer from working in a nail salon.
*Applauds*
On the other side of this screen is a whistleblower who is here to talk directly to you.
She's a manicurist and has become very worried about the chemicals in nail salons, like yours.
Today we're investigating, is your manicure bad for your health?
Whether at the salon or DIY, nail art is hot.
Some estimate last year in the U.S. there were 100 million nail polish users.
But now many are worried if chemicals from their manicure are entering their bodies without them even knowing.
Investigation squad member Tia Brown has been following manicure and pedicure health risks for us, even going undercover to popular salons.
And now she's bringing us a brand new investigation into what's really in your polish.
And for the first time ever, a manicurist is appearing live in our studio, blowing the whistle on nail salon conditions and her own fears over whether she or her clients are at risk.
Joining me in the studio is a nail technician to talk about work conditions at the salon where she works.
She's asked that we keep her identity hidden.
So I'll ask you, thanks for being here, what is your biggest concern about your safety at work?
Hi, my main concern is the products that I use on the skin and the products that we're breathing in in the salon are causing cancer cells that may later on appear in life.
And what about the clients whose nails you manage every single day?
I worry about the pregnant women and the children that do come in.
I'm very worried about them.
Well, thank you for stepping forward and we'll keep your identity protected.
Investigation squad member Tia Brown has chipped away at the research to get to the bottom of this.
She's also going to help me sort through the services offered at a typical nail salon.
Thanks very much.
She just heard the whistleblower and we've heard from others as well.
Are her concerns about the working conditions about the safety of nail salon valid?
She is absolutely right to be concerned.
In fact, research shows that nail salons have the same level of toxic fumes as oil refineries and car garages.
Isn't that crazy?
Yeah, who would have thought?
Over 350,000 people in the U.S. work at nail salons and studies have shown that their exposure, their constant exposure, mind you, they're working 52 plus hours a week, results in them being at 100 times the risk to develop cancer.
That's a real occupational hazard.
Absolutely.
So the question is, what are the chemicals and how are they affecting not just the manicures, but also you, the consumer?
So let's start with the ones we have in front of us.
All right, so, you know, the oldie but goodie is the acrylic, right?
So that's one when you use a synthetic nail usually on top of your normal nail and you put acrylic, which is a mixture of different components, to add to the top to make sure it doesn't chip.
The thing is, you usually dry under a UV ray, which is something like this.
And so you're exposed to different risks because of that.
In addition, the chemicals in the compound also put you at risk.
They're toxic.
All right, so that's the acrylics.
That's the acrylic.
The next thing was gel.
Now, gel was the thing when it came out.
Looks great, lasts for two weeks.
Here's the thing.
Again, the powder mix, toxic.
So people heard the complaints and they were like, let's do another innovation.
And it was the gel powder, which doesn't require the UV ray, but it's still dangerous because the powder and the mix are still problematic for your nails.
Of the things you just mentioned, the three options, which one worries you the most?
Acrylic.
By far, research shows that this is the one that you should be most concerned with, mostly because of this, right?
You use this to file down the acrylic once you put it on, and guess what?
You're chipping away at all of the chemical compounds, and guess where they're going?
Right into your face.
You're inhaling it, the manicurist is inheriting it, inhaling it, it's not good.
All right, so I get it.
So there's two ways the chemicals from these products and treatments can get into your body, through the skin and by breathing them in.
Let's start with the harmful potential chemicals in the air.
Jennifer's here.
Thanks for being here, Jennifer, with her daughter, Alana.
And they're waiting for their manicure.
But even before their nails get painted, they could be breathing in chemical fumes.
Now, we don't typically see the fumes like you're seeing right here coming up from the table in a nail salon.
This is a dramatization of how fumes could be moving through the air while you're getting a manicure.
So what have recent studies shown about the air at the different nail salons?
Unfortunately, it has a lot of toxics in the air.
So the toxins in the air rather, they have the two major are BTX compounds and formaldehyde.
And both are very dangerous, specifically to your lungs.
We know that it can unfortunately lead to asthma or respiratory issues.
But there is a silver lining in this, I want to say, right?
So, because we know people still want to get their manicures, and ventilation is the key.
The CDC released a report saying that if the space is ventilated, it reduces your risk by up to 50%.
Why?
Because you're not inhaling all of those fumes.
You're going to hear this message over and over again for everybody.
There are some folks who are investing extra to make sure you're safer.
I mean, show them some love.
Let's make it a better industry.
Okay, let's find out if the chemicals from nail polish are potentially absorbed through the nail and skin.
So, is there any research about the chemicals from the paint or the products themselves?
Absolutely.
Now, this was a little bit scary, I have to say.
Now, Duke and UWG released a study that said that, well, let me tell you what they did first.
So, they had two different groups.
They had one group of women who got their nails painted and another group of women who got their nails painted, but they had on gloves.
Guess what they found?
They did a urine test, and they found that the people who had the direct contact with the polish had more toxins in their system.
And why?
Because they believe that the toxins are getting in all around here.
So, every time you're getting your nails polished, you are exposing yourself to different toxins.
And I know it's hard news for women, but it's just the truth.
All right, so we reached out to the Personal Care Council, and here's what they said in part: nail polish products have been used safely for many decades by millions of people.
For many years, information has been circulating in the media alleging potential adverse health effects from exposure to certain ingredients in nail care products, such as toluene, formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate.
The FDA also states on its website that all of these ingredients, based on available safety information, are safe under current conditions of use in nail products.
So, they disagree.
But up next, we're going to show you what's really in this little bottle.
And are the new better-for-you polishes less toxic?
You should know about this.
In the commercial break, I want you to go out and grab your favorite color, right?
Bring the nail polish bottle back in front of the TV because we're going to show you how to tell if yours has potentially harmful chemicals in it.
Stick around.
Have you guys ever wondered what's really in here?
You ever thought about that?
What's really in your nail polish?
So, during your break, I ask all you to grab your favorite nail polish and bring it back to the TV.
Hope you got it, right?
Did you get it?
Look at the ingredients.
Turn it around, look at the back.
Do you see anything there?
No, nothing.
You can't buy them, can you?
Why?
Because they're not there.
That's right.
Most people have no idea what's really in their nail polish for a reason because it's not written on there.
Like, foods write what's in there, but these don't.
So, how can someone find out what chemicals are actually in their bottle of nail polish?
It's really important to do your due diligence when it comes to nail polish.
Every brand will have their list somewhere on the site.
All right, so we've got three nail polishes here.
Tia and I are going to give you what's called the toxic trio of potentially harmful chemicals, right, that are in your nail polish that you might want to avoid.
So, as I paint the nails and reveal the chemical, tell us which one we should be worried about here.
Well, we don't want our nail polish to chip, and unfortunately, formaldehyde is the chemical that they put in nail polish to ensure that it doesn't chip.
But guess what?
It's a carcinogen, it's not healthy, it's dangerous, and it's in most of our nail polishes.
All right, so we want to avoid formaldehyde.
That's a name that you probably heard before you can remember.
Let's get to the second chemical.
This chemical is pretty toxic.
You probably have not heard of this chemical.
By the way, notice how daintily I painted.
He's doing a great job, right?
We know he's had lots of practice.
This is from painting daughters and granddaughters' nails.
All right, and what's the chemical here?
DPB.
And we know that this chemical is so bad that it was actually banned in Europe.
We should not ingest it.
We definitely shouldn't have it on our nails.
And it's in a lot of our nail polishes.
And the final product here is something that you probably will recognize with a little bit of help.
All right.
So, how many people love when their nails are like nice and shiny and smooth?
It's no clump, right?
Tyuene does that.
And it's in a lot of our nail polishes.
And again, it is a toxin.
It should not be in our nail polish and it should not be in our system.
All right, so there's three chemicals we just mentioned to you that we don't want to have in there.
Let's walk over here.
There's a brand new trend in nail polishes that'll give consumers more power in finding nail polishes without these ingredients.
So the first is called three-free, which means it doesn't have the three biggest toxins in the nail polish.
So it's what?
Healthier for your system.
And a little bit of research Helps you find which ones are.
But even better, there's something called five-free.
Five-free, that means it has even less toxins.
It's worth finding five-free or more, and it's important for your health.
I noticed something when you came on the stage today.
It wasn't just a beautiful ring.
There's no nail polish on it.
I don't have any nail polish on because I was scared for a little while.
You do have topology.
I have, but my toes are already polished.
We love them.
We love our manicures and pedicures.
We just have to do it the right way.
Right.
All right.
So when you hear this sound, right, you know it's a great moment to grab your camera, stop, snap, and share.
Right?
So let's stop, keep it on the screen right now.
This little message to you.
Snap a pic of it, share it on social media, and tag someone who needs to see the message.
I applaud any new types of labeling that are a step closer to full transparency.
I'm proud of the industry for making those changes.
You can go to drodge.com to read more on the link between manicures and cancer theater.
As always, thanks for all you do.
We'll be right back.
Believe it or not, I recently had an encounter with a bear, right?
A bear like this.
And I had no idea what to do, but luckily I have friends in high places.
Bindy Irwin is here teaching us how to handle an animal encounter.
Can I be as brave as you?
Not a chance.
Crikey.
I recently had an encounter with a bear in Colorado.
Here's what happened.
I skipped the lunch to go for a hike and almost became the bear's lunch instead.
Now you can see me here in my wussy picture.
That bear seems really far away in the background, but this is after I booked it out of there.
And then like a millennial, I stopped to snap a little selfie.
I didn't think anyone would believe me.
So what do you do if you have an encounter with a wild animal?
It's right there.
Do you run?
Do you freeze?
But there's someone who wanted to be here today to give me some very needed advice.
She is the world-famous wildlife conservationalist who stole our hearts as a little kid when she appeared with her dad, the late Steve Irwin, the crocodile hunter.
Bindy Irwin is here.
Come on out.
Thank you, love.
How are we doing?
You got a lot of your dad's energy out of this.
Thank you, love.
I love that photograph of you with the bear.
I want to know if the bear wanted a selfie with you, though.
No, the bear wanted to chase me.
I mean, the bear must have been like, wow, this is incredible.
But this is actually, I mean, it is a lot scary.
I actually heard you're supposed to lie down when the bear's there, but I can tell you, I'll challenge anyone, listen right now.
If there's a bear right there, you're not going to hunker down and see what happens.
No.
You did the right thing, honestly.
Let me just give you the details for a second because I think it's worth hearing, because then I want to be, because my wife is still mad at me.
So I'm walking with my wife.
Now she thinks I was trying to outrun her.
That's not what I was trying to do.
I did a little math calculation.
I figure I got maybe, I don't know, a couple dozen feet between me and the bear.
If I start to run, the bear eventually will get tired.
If I can just stay ahead of it, I know it's going to be faster than me.
My wife, so I start to run.
Immediately the bear who's already coming after us starts running faster.
And my wife, after about 10 steps, stops.
Oh.
She was going to take two sticks and poke out the bear's eyes.
Now, you notice how big that bear is.
Notice how small the head is in comparison.
Note the beady little eyes.
I mean, who is going to be able to hit two little eyes like that?
And you only need one eye to claw you, right?
So I think I was right to not stay.
You were completely right.
It was you, you're a wildlife warrior.
That's why.
So why does everyone say lie over, cover your intestines?
They don't want them, they like to eat your intestines.
Yeah, I think we like to make it a lot harder than it needs to be.
You kind of want to treat bears like you treat someone in New York City.
If you're in New York City walking past strangers, you wouldn't like run up to them and poke them or give them a little scratch.
And, you know, if someone's kind of grumpy in New York, you try to get out of their way.
So you did the perfectly right thing.
And we are so proud of you because you're a wildlife warrior.
And I'm so glad you got a photo.
Thank you.
That was awesome.
Well done.
The best part is I get to brag to my wife that Benny said I was right.
So your family continues the mission of your dad.
Thank you.
God bless him for all the great he did for the wildlife conservation movement.
But here's the thing: if anyone encounters a wild animal, you have some broad themes.
And I just want to hear it from you.
Give us the wisdom here.
If you really run into a wild animal, basic plans.
Honestly, the best thing that you can possibly do is to be kind.
My dad always used to say, treat animals the way you would wish to be treated.
And animals, they're pretty happy just doing their own thing.
So if you let them be and you're not trying to poke at them, then they'll be pretty chilled and happy.
We work with a lot of different animals, and people always say, is it going to bite you?
Is it going to get aggressive?
If you just leave it alone and let it do its thing, you're set.
Don't panic.
Enjoy the moment and then let them be.
It was beautiful, but beautiful at a distance.
At a distance, it was.
This whole family is here because they have a brand new season of their hit TV show, Crikey.
It's the Irwins.
Did I pronounce it right?
Perfect, Crikey.
Now to the second season on Animal Planet.
Take a look.
Join me now with the Irwins, Wildlife Warriors, Terry, Robert, and Mindy.
Real quick, what's a tail thing?
Why does that matter?
Yeah, so when you're jumping on crocodiles, they use their tail to pivot.
If they death roll a croc of that size, it'll just crush you.
So it's called the death roll.
The death roll, yes.
This is why I don't wrestle alligators or crocs.
They're remarkable animals.
No, it's so awesome.
What does the word crikey mean?
Well, it's a good question.
Crikey basically, it can mean anything you want it to.
It's really just like, wow.
So whatever happens, you can use it.
If you stab your toe and you're in a lot of pain, you can say, crikey, that hurt.
Or if you're jumping a crocodile, you can say, Crikey, I'm jumping a crocodile.
So there's a lot of different ways you can use it.
How about craky and with the Irwins?
There you go.
You can do all that.
Terry, was it ever a concern or was it a natural decision to have the kids follow in your husband's footsteps?
Well, I think it wasn't really a decision.
I think it just sort of happened.
And growing up with Steve, I don't know that they had a choice.
But I do have a question for you that's a burning question.
I'm wondering, since these two were born in Australia and we are from the land down under that is called Oz.
Can this be Mr. and Miss Oz?
Yes.
And you can adopt her.
Yes, I would love that.
You know, I go to Australia.
My kids want to move there.
They love the country so much.
It's fantastic.
But it's wonderful to have an entire continent named after you.
Yeah, that's pretty cool.
That is.
Although I understand, BD, that you can't hold on to the Oz last name because you just got engaged.
It's true, my goodness.
I'm so excited.
Do you feel like your dad will be there in spirit as you walk down the aisle?
I really feel that he will.
And what's going to be so special is that Robert's going to walk me down the aisle, which will be wonderful.
Yeah, I'm really excited.
And I think that was my bad.
Well, you look just like him.
He does.
Thank you very much.
So we'll definitely have dad throughout the entire day in the ceremony and the reception.
And I think that his spirit lives on in everything that we do.
And that's really special.
We'll never forget all the things he's done.
Now last year, your father became the first conservationist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which is a great honor.
There you are, receiving it in his honor.
But Julie, you've got some fame for your own recently.
Oh, thank you, love.
That's really nice of you.
We've been busy.
Dad always said that we're wildlife warriors.
He's the one who first came up with the term.
You're a wildlife warrior now.
But it means to stand up and speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.
And as a family, I really believe we've been put on this planet for a reason, to help inspire others to believe in their strength to change the world.
So now there are a lot of species out there.
Some of them are more interesting to be around than others.
And Robert, I understand you learned how to wrangle snakes.
Yes.
Which is something that all of us iconically and for good reason run away from.
You run towards them.
Yes, I actually, as part of the show, I got to go to Arizona and catch rattlesnakes for the first time, which was pretty amazing.
And hopefully teaching people that we have to appreciate the less cuddly animals.
The lesson is run away.
That's what I learned yesterday.
Congratulations on the show.
Look forward.
Saturdays on Animal Planet.
Check your local listings.
More surprise animal encounters when we come back.
You will not want to miss these.
We are back and talking about when animals attack.
It's a hot topic because more and more caught on tape videos of humans encountering wild animals are making their way to our social media feeds and the nightly news.
It feels like animals have been attacking more lately.
Are we just Getting too close or has something changed?
Watch this bison, who clearly doesn't like the looks of a young girl.
He charges, tossing her several feet into the air.
And the result is terrifying.
And it's not just happening in the wild.
This angry goat will go after anyone that crosses its path.
Women, men, even motorcycles.
The diver in this cage got a lot closer to this great white than he was planning.
Luckily, he came out of it unharmed, but more than his cage was rattled.
While cycling in the Canadian wilderness, a nearby biker found himself being stalked by a hungry mountain lion.
Right in front of me.
See back.
Stay there.
I'm not afraid of you.
He stood his ground and avoided an attack, but it could have been much worse.
It might have been safe in your own home.
Another mountain lion barged into one California couple's bathroom.
Luckily, police were able to scare it back outside.
Oh my goodness, radio personality and our show correspondent Carolina Bermudas has been looking into these attacks.
She's here to weigh in on the videos we just saw.
First of all, do you think animals are attacking us more or are we just better with our cameras because they're on our cell phones capturing the images?
I think it's a little bit of both, Dr. Roz.
I think it's very alarming.
You know, you become insta-famous when you get that one cool picture and people are putting themselves at risk just to get those likes.
So National Parks Services have been recommending that people stay at least 25 yards away from vice and elk and deer and also stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves, which they never had to put these restrictions out before because people are flooding the national parks now to get that cool nature shot.
So wildlife doesn't just always stay in the wild.
If there's one animal who's not shy about invading your space in suburbia, it's bears.
Yes.
Take a look at this Bontage.
What drew this big brown bear out of the woods and into suburbia?
A chance to be a bathing beauty on a hot summer day.
This mama bear didn't care that they were terrified people inside this house while she and her cub checked out the deck.
Up for a late night snack?
This furry intruder certainly was.
He made himself at home after raiding the fridge.
So, Caroline says there's a simple reason, a simple reason why animals are entering our space, We're invading their territory, so now they're invading ours.
We're going into their natural habitat, so naturally they have to find food.
Where are they going?
Into our pools and our houses.
I appreciate all the advice.
Thank you so much.
Learned a lot about how to stay safe.
Well, Dr. Roz, you know, the first rule is don't take a selfie.
Second rule, stay calm.
But I think you did the second rule very well.
Betty, if I took the selfie and the bear ate me, they'd be evidence.
There you go.
We would know who to find.
If you sure listen to Carolina and Greg T in the morning, fantastic program on iHeartRadio.
right back Today, the new beauty trend capturing a lot of likes, hearts, and even some of these on social media.
Why are they acrylic pedicures and they're all the rage right now?
Here's the question.
Are they safe?
Gwen Flamberg is here.
She's the executive editor of Beauty and Style at Us Weekly.
And Gwen's going to explain why this look, the look, is so popular right now.
Well, you know, nail art is huge.
They're using it to express their creativity.
And of course, in this social media-fueled world that we live in, the more outrageous, the more attention you're going to get, the more likes.
It is visually arresting.
I see some of these really long nails in these images.
It's kind of terrifying.
But I want to call around.
So we asked a dermatologist, and she said that acrylics are not going to hurt you.
That's good news.
But they can cause your nails to become a little bit weak, more brittle.
And you're worried about bacteria.
Yes, because, you know, if the acrylic is put on a little separate from the nail, or maybe, you know, they're in your shoes, if you get a little bit of moisture in between your real nail and the acrylic nail, that's going to lead to a fungal infection.
You can get some bacterial infections.
So you think the trend is here to stay despite that?
I certainly hope not.
I do think the trend of wild and crazy nail art for pedicures is going to stick around, but I'd like to see women just using nail polish, using Color Street, nail strips, nail stickers that you put on.
There are a lot of ways to wear the trend without sacrificing your health.
That said, remember, everyone, the power change that lies in the power of you.
Who it's right through your toes.
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