Allergy

HereticPrincess

Heylo

Just wondering if anyone knew of any treatments to help hair dye allergies.

I've had to let all black grow out of my hair to brown cos I had an allergic reaction & had to.

I have had a skin test done since & my skin seems to react now after 2 days, & I used to dye my hair all the time...

I have no idea if there are any treatments to help or anything, but it's worth a shot asking

Esmeralda34

Hi Heretic Princess

I am in precisely the same position! I had dyed my hair for years and years and then all of a sudden (about a year and a half ago) I got a slight reaction from a hair dye. It was very mild, so I put it down to the fact that I had tried a new top-up-the-roots product at home.

I went to my local salon a few weeks later and had my usual ultra-dark blue-black put it in. Within 48 hours (and on holiday at this point!) the skin on my scalp had slowly changed as if it had been scalded. My face and ears swelled to the point that I barely recognised the left side of my face in the mirror. I really got worried and considered going to A&E (however having a partner that freaks out even more than you, has a strangely calming effect!) It took about 3 or 4 days for the swelling to go down, but my scalp was excrutiatingly painful for weeks afterwards.

Bottom line is I had become exceptionally allergic to an ingredient I had been using for years known as PPD (para-phenylenediamine - look it up!). Basically we can't use a colourant where two parts are mixed to create the colour. In effect that means no permanent or semi-colours. A real pain in the ass!

I have found two solutions. On a usual basis I use a Wella 0.2 Black colour, but it does wash out so you have to use it very frequently. The other alternative is going to a well-trusted salon, explaining your history and asking that they apply the permanent colour using the plastic sheets (don't know the proper name as I haven't had it done in over a year but plan to next week!) that they use for highlights. You have to make sure they realise they extent of your allergy and have someone competent to apply the colour to ensure no colour touches your scalp. You will still experience some mild irritation afterwards, but right now I think it's worth it.

Apparently allergies come and go, so I do plan to get a patch test done beforehand as I haven't had one in over a year. Think I've got to bite the bullet and accept this though.

Please PM me with any questions. I've devoted many hours to looking into this.

Drop me a line.

All the best

Es


EDIT- I should add that after realising I was allergic to any colours that involved mixing, I went to a reputable salon in Dublin. I went on and on to the female hairdresser about my allergy at length. She seemed very tired with my concern, even throwing her eyes heaven towards and proceeded to apply the colour. She was half-way through applying it and I could feel a very, very distinct tingling. I had to ask her three times to wash it out straight away before she agreed to (she still didn't appear to take me seriously).

I apologised afterwards for possibly being paranoid. I paid, tipped and left. Within two days my scalp and a band an inch or more on my face and neck was an angry red/purple, burnt with seeping pustules. I had to take a few days off work due to the pain. To think back on it!

Anyway just a word of caution...

mood

I had a reaction in a salon recently. I was mild (tingling and itching) not like the other readers experience. But I switched to a different salon who use Avada products (mostly natural ingredients) and it was fine.