What Causes Allergy To Hair Dye?

Hair dyes, like many other products, contain a number of chemicals that can irritate your skin. One of the main culprits is Paraphenylenediamine or PPD. This chemical is responsible for giving you long-lasting hair color that seems to appear more natural, when used on hair.

PPD is mainly used in dark hair dyes. It has a reputation of being an allergen for those with sensitive skin or some dry skin conditions. On application, PPD becomes oxidized. This is what causes the allergic reactions. The reaction usually tends to fade away once PPD is fully oxidized.

Some people may only experience skin irritation while for some others, it may get more serious.

Hair Dye Allergy Symptoms

1. Stinging sensation

2. Inflamed, red skin

3. Itching of the scalp or face

4. Swelling of the scalp/face

5. Swollen eyelids, lips or hands

If you are sensitive to hair dye, you may also develop contact dermatitis symptoms/flare-ups.

If you are allergic to hair dye, your symptoms may take upto 48 hours to show up. It is recommended that you conduct a patch test before using hair dye.

The symptoms of anaphylaxis are:

• Skin reactions like tingling, stinging and burning
• Rashes
• Fainting
• Nausea and vomiting
• Swelling of throat or tongue

Treatments For Hair Dye Allergies

The treatments for allergies due to hair dye depend on how severe your reaction is:

• If you have mild and immediate/instant reactions, wash the dye off immediately with warm water and mild shampoo.
• If you are experiencing contact dermatitis flare-ups or symptoms, treat the affected area with a topical corticosteroid. Other OTC treatments are also available, which can be used on your skin.
• A shampoo that contains topical corticosteroids like Cobex can be used as well.
• Mild antiseptics like a 2% hydrogen peroxide solution can be applied to the affected area to soothe symptoms.
• Oral antihistamines such as Benadryl can also be consumed to reduce symptoms like itching.