Avoiding Allergic Reactions: Knowing What’s In Your Hair Dye Before You Buy It

Coloring your hair at home is one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to pump up your look. The challenge is finding a color that looks great and is safe for you, too!

This especially important because people everywhere are starting to color their hair at younger and younger ages, which “increases the potential risk of adverse health effects,” according to research from the European Union’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Products.

Stacy Ditroia: Hair dye caused an allergic reaction that caused her face to swell up.The concern is that the earlier a person starts dying their hair, the more overall lifelong exposure they have to chemicals that can build up in their body and potentially cause allergic reactions, sometimes leading to hospitalization.

A Denmark study found that in that country, the average age for someone starting to dye their hair was about 16.

A survey in 1992 by the Japan Soap and Detergent Association found that “13 percent of female high school students, six percent of women in their 20s, and two percent of men in their 20s reported using hair coloring products. By 2001, the proportions had increased in these groups to 41 percent, 85 percent, and 33 percent, respectively,” and it’s a trend that’s not slowing down.

The concern isn’t just in these countries. It’s an issue in most industrialized countries. Salynn Boyles, a contributing writer for WebMD Health News, said, “As more and more young people color their hair, the incidence of hair dye allergies is also increasing. The culprit is a common chemical ingredient in permanent hair dyes, called paraphenylenediamine or PPD.

“PPD is found in more than two-thirds of commercial (hair) dyes. Patients with severe PPD reactions commonly develop painful rashes around the hair line or on the face which often require treatment and can occasionally lead to hospitalization. Facial swelling is also common.”

PPD is currently banned from hair dyes available in Germany, France, and Sweden, but the reason it’s generally so popular is that it’s very good at penetrating hair and binding color to it. The allergies that people develop are the problem.

It generally happens through what’s called sensitization, which means that a person develops an allergy to something that previously didn’t bother them. Sensitization can develop after one exposure or after many exposures because of a buildup in the person’s body.

If you have an allergic reaction to a hair dye, a good first aide treatment is to:

1. Use a clarifying shampoo or any other strong shampoo to wash out the remaining hair dye.
2. Take an over-the-counter antihistamine, such as Benadryl, which should bring down the swelling, as well as relieve itchiness, watery eyes, and pain.
3. Use cortisone cream on the itchy skin to also help reduce the inflammation.
4. If the symptoms are severe or persist, get to an emergency room as quickly as possible. An allergic reaction can cause your face and neck to swell, and make it hard for you to breathe.

While PPD isn’t the only chemical in hair dyes that can cause an allergic reaction, it’s the most common cause. Coloring your hair is meant to be a lot of fun. You just have to be careful about the chemicals you put in your hair.

Natural brands (made primarily from plant dyes) are the best idea for most people, but it’s important to remember that some people can also have a reaction to natural ingredients as well.

Natural ingredients that people can have allergic reactions to include: walnut, rhubarb, and cinchona. These are just a few of the most common, but a person can develop an allergy to anything. It’s important to also know your own medical history before you put something on your skin.

Whether you decide to color your hair or not is your own personal decision. If you do decide to color it, do your homework and make the smartest and best choice for yourself.

Reader comments and input are always welcomed!