Are you sure what you are smelling is not the hair product? Due to the heat of the straightener it is recommended to use a protective agent on your hair and often that "burns" off a bit while you are straightening. I use my ceramic straightener in a bathroom off the living room where my birds are. On occasion I can smell it in the bathroom but it does not translate outside. Most high quality straighteners are ceramic or ceramic plated (low-quality) and for the length of time used I don't think should pose an issue.
I pulled out my owner's manual and here's what it says:
This iron features rapid infrared Ray heating from Ceramic heater, and uses the ceramic coated paddles to protect hair condition.
I also did a search...most good straighteners are ceramic or tourmalin and those do not have telfon in them. However, it would appear that some straighteners have telfon coated plates to keep hair from sticking to the plates. I would check the particular straightener if you are that concerned and then perhaps ask your sister to use it in a well-ventilated area, if needed. If you find out the brand/name, you can just google it and it will come up (or the name + telfon). Mine is defintiely not, and neither is the one I had before and they are from both ends of the price range.
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