A young woman whose hair got caught in the filtration system of a flotation tank has opened up about her terrifying experience to warn others of the dangers.
The 23-year-old, who wished to remain anonymous, visited Infinity Float Centre, in Botany, Auckland, on September 1.
After an hour in the relaxation pod, a dark sound-proof tank filled with salt-infused water, the woman felt her hair being pulled from her head.
'My first instinct was to freak out and sort of try and get loose,' she told the NZ Herald.
'I'm using my whole body strength and then I just flip over in the water... and I was swallowing water.'
Panicking, the woman managed to kick the pod's lid open and scream for help, with the manager then rushing in to cut her hair free near the top of her skull.
The woman said she feared she might drown during the ordeal, which left her hair, which she had been told could remain untied, scrunched in a messy ball on top of her head.
The relaxation centre plays music at the end of each session tarts to alert clients to exit the tank before the automatic filtration system kicks in to empty the pod.
The centre's owners, Renay Chand and husband Jaskarn Dhatt said the incident occurred because she had entered the tank the wrong way and an employee said the woman had been given instructions regarding the correct orientation.
However, the woman said she did not hear the music because she was told to wear ear plugs to prevent water from getting in her ears and did not receive the direction from the staff member.
She added that a form she filled out prior to the session failed to mention the filtration system would start automatically or the risks of being in the tank the wrong way.
Ms Chand and Mr Dhatt said they were horrified by the woman's experience and would take on board her claim that she had not been told how to enter the tank.
However, Ms Chand said the woman remained in the tank for five minutes after an audio message played to inform her to get out.
'The pump makes a very loud sound when starting, however the client still remained in the tank past all these notifications and eventually her hair started getting pulled into the filtration inlet,' Ms Chand said.
The business closed for two days following the incident to investigate the matter and and tested the tanks for music malfunctions.
Ms Chand and Mr Dhatt retrained staff to ensure clients were notified about tank orientations and provided the woman with a refund, two movie tickets and a hamper.
The business owners also contacted the pods' manufacturer and changes have since been made to the automatic filtration system.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
