Editing Plastic handcuffs (section)

==Precautions==
If not applied correctly, plastic handcuffs are more uncomfortable than conventional handcuffs for the person being restrained. Also, incorrect application can lead to the swelling or discoloration of the hands of the restrained.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Senzamici|first=Peter|date=2020-07-22|title=Plastic Handcuff Use by NYPD During Anti-Brutality Protests Strikes a Nerve|url=https://www.thecity.nyc/2020/7/22/21335083/plastic-handcuff-use-by-nypd-during-anti-brutality-protests-strikes-a-nerve|access-date=2022-02-15|website=THE CITY|language=en}}</ref> More care and training are required for the person applying them in order to avoid making them too tight. Some models cannot be double-locked, making it possible for the cuffs to be further tightened after initial application, restricting blood flow to the hands and causing injury to the subject. 

Another risk of disposable restraints is that a subject of great physical strength and/or under the influence of drugs may be able to break free from them with enough effort. They are also vulnerable to being cut with [[Diagonal pliers|wire cutters]] or melted with a cigarette [[lighter]]. In official uses, it is recommended to use a specialized flexicuff cutter to remove the cuffs from a detainee, rather than scissors or knives which could cause injury to the detained or detainer.<ref>{{cite book|title=Counterinsurgency Operations|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4pxREC5RoFsC&pg=SL9-PA5|publisher=Lulu.com|isbn=978-7-116-69200-8|pages=9–}}</ref>{{Self-published inline|certain=yes|date=December 2017}}

[[File:Hands zipcuffed behind back.png|thumb|Hands zip-cuffed behind back]]