Has Anyone Ever Had A Reaction to Hair Dye?

[OceanAnnie]

This is crazy! I drank some coffee this morning and some of the symptoms are back, not as strong but I had to take a motrin! I can't believe it. I used the product on Thursday night! Gee whiz. I guess the caffeine reactivated whatever was left in my system.

I'm not touching that product again. No way. I've been been reading about other options. Highlighting and lowlighting seems feasible.

 

[branv]

Oh my goodness! Glad your head is okay today I've never had a real reaction before, but I do notice that when I'm having allergy problems that the dye makes my head tingle and itch more.

Allergies are weird. My mom went her whole life using penicillin with no issues. At 55, one night she took a pill, and never even made it out of the bathroom before collapsing on the floor (she's okay, btw). Isn't that strange...no problems then BOOM a dangerous allergy?
But then I also know people who had terrible allergies to things as children that they're fine with now.

If it happens again, I wouldn't only stop using hair dye. I would go see your doctor for a allergy testing to be on the safe side.

Editing this b/c I posted the same time as you: my goodness, you can't give up caffeine! I'd say you really should just go ahead and see your doctor. It may be something other than the dye all together - the dye and coffee reaction just being symptoms.

 

[gottagodisney]

Yes, I have allergic reactions to dye. I was just looking this subject up last night as a matter of fact because , like a dummy, I once again have subjected myself to this misery. I have tried to color my hair at home several times and always have had a terrible reaction- burned scalp, itchy outbreak that lasts for days, sometimes weeks.

Every few yrs. I think, well, let me try this product...maybe the reaction won't happen. It always does. The latest attempt was using a highlighter cap thinking if the stuff doesn't touch my scalp then it won't react. This did the trick somewhat (so I thought) but in the middle of the night, the places where my hair was touching my neck broke out in a rash!

I have patch tested with a salon also (both semi perm and perm) thinking maybe professional stuff would not do it. I had a bad itchy spot where she tested for about 4 wks!

I think it is th PPD stuff that does it. I have also had reactions to black fabric (like jeans) around the waistband when they are new. The websites that I was reading last nt. said that sensitivity to this stuff can occur at any time. It also said that it can trigger other allergies once someone becomes sensitive to the chemicals.

No more chemical hair dyes for me -really, this time!

BTW....I have used henna only products which have not caused a reaction for me. I have only found this product at Whole Foods. The only thing is they are cumbersome and don't cover the grey very well. Oh well, it's back to the natural stuff for me.

 

[alikat99]

OMG - be VERY careful if you've ever had allergic reactions to hair dye. My mom used to color her own hair and have the salon do it. Once in a while, she'd have minor reactions - stinging, redness, headaches, etc. Well, one time that she decided to have her hair colored at the salon, by the next day, her entire head/face/neck was swollen - to the point that she couldn't wear her glasses because they were cutting into the side of her face.

She went to the doctor, who gave her benadryl, which made the swelling go down almost immediately. But, he told her never to color her hair again. He said that over time, some women develop serious allergic reactions, to the point of the swelling continuing into their chest area, causing them to have difficulty breathing. She decided to just go grey gracefully.

BTW - she doesn't have allergic reactions to anything else, so this is the only thing.

 

[OceanAnnie]

If it happens again, I wouldn't only stop using hair dye. I would go see your doctor for a allergy testing to be on the safe side.

Editing this b/c I posted the same time as you: my goodness, you can't give up caffeine! I'd say you really should just go ahead and see your doctor. It may be something other than the dye all together - the dye and coffee reaction just being symptoms.

Thanks. I think I'm ok. It may have been just a headache and a leftover weird feeling with my scalp. I really should be out of the woods by now.

You're right. If I experience anything like this with another product I will go to the doctor and get allergy testing. I was reading about PPD and it seems to be in a number of things you wouldn't expect. Some meds have it. I can't remember the names off hand but the article recommended letting your doctor or dentist know if you've had a reaction to PPD so they can avoid certain meds (I think they were numbing meds).

Gottagodisney, thanks for the tip on Henna and finding it at Whole Foods. I'll have to look into it. (That would mean no more highlighting but if I avoid that experience again it would be worth it!)

Thanks to everyone for sharing you experiences and your loved ones experiences as well. I had no idea!

 

[NJtoATL]

I personally am not allergic to hair coloring. I remember my grandmother who is not "old" being hospitalized several times for it as a child. My poor grandmother was totally gray by the age of 48.( I should say mostly gray).
I recall one summer she was desperate and she use food color to color her hair. Mistake......My grandmother had turquoise hair for the entire summer. I was teased tremendously that summer by my friends. In fact, my girlfriend and I still have fond memories and laughs about my grandmother's colorful hair. Did I mention she went to work like that everyday? Yes, every single day. She worked in a hospital for all the world to see.

Listen if you have bad reactions to hair color, leave the food coloring alone. Just buy a really good. wig. Good luck.