Not to do a skin test before i dye my hair

[Goawaybob]

Not so much as AIBU more, Am i mad?

Ive dyed my hair loads of times - can't remember what colour it is now but sick of the roots, so going back to brunette, not blonde.

Hands up who just goes ahead and dyes? Ive never done a skin test and its always been ok.

I recently heard of a young girl having an allergic reaction who died :( It seems the cosmetic companies have ramped up their warnings but is it just to cover their arses or are people more likely in todays age of pollutants and raised allergen levels more likely to react?

Following on from Brighthair's post, PPD is also in non-permanent dye.

There's an e-Petition for the banning of PPD. Sign it please

Yabvu, but it's your lookout at the end of the day!
My sister had a totally out of the blue reaction to a hair dye, she ended up in hospital, swollen beyond recognition and getting help to breathe. She was a mess for weeks after. They recommend a Patch test for a reason.

My DS had a VERY bad reaction to a black hair dye. He will never be able to use a dye again. His scalp blistered so badly that fluid was dripping from his hair and his face was unrecognisable due to swelling. His eyes were swollen shut and his head was like a football. Use an equal amount of the two parts and mix and test. Think ahead and please do a test. He had used dyes for years and had always been alright before. He was ill for weeks.

It is such a pita to have to remember to do a test but some of these accounts are really frightening.

I've been dying my hair for 25 years, and cos I am dark with thick fast growing grey hair I am having to dye my hair every 3/4 weeks

Not sure that I should though

I think hair dye is a sensitiser (or the likely ingredients are) meaning that using it previously is more likely to result in allergic reaction, so you may use it without incidence, the next time, your head will swell up like a balloon. Saying that I don't do the patch test because I am lazy.

It does make my scalp burn and sting, but it has since I started using it, might start doing a patch test though because it really does make sense .

I haven't, not that I dye my hair very often because it is red and looks dyed when dyed IMO (fake redheads are often easy to spot). We have a ton of stupid allergies in our family my fun one is pineapple, joy but apparently I live dangerously when it comes to hair dye.

Don't tell on me, k?

Patch tests are for wimps!

Oh God some horrible stories here...

I used to think that McF but not after reading some of the stories on here. I have changed my mind, have you?

I thought the patch test was pointless as any allergic reaction would only show up when you actually dye your hair - so too late. I read that Guardian article at the time and Sali whatsherface did have a patch test. So, pointless? Anyway, she still seems to have jet black hair and never came back and said what she dyes her hair with now.

I stripped all the skin off my armpits by using Nair without a patch test.

Despite that I still don't do patch tests.

It was Nair btw. Yes, NAIR. The Agent Orange of depilatories.

I always do. I change my colour regularly but I'm always aware that my skin changes (As does everyone's over the years) and so do the ingredient in the products.

I've seen too many friends with permenant disfigurements due to them being too lazy flippant about it and ending up with bad scarring. Not for me, thanks!

Thank you for all the lovely replies - Have decided to do skin test (when i can be arsed) as this is a brand ive not used before and a different colour so likely very different chemicals. My allergic reaction in the past was to something unknown that i ate (i think) it just sort of came out of no-where. Very scary though and I am aware that subsequent reactions can be worse so i am not wanting a visit to A&E for the sake of my roots! Normally i would just chuck the stuff on without second thought, but something is telling me not to.

oh, that'l teach me to read the whole thread, i missed page two! Brighthair thankyou - Does anyone want a light brown hair dye? Because im not using it.

1. I suffer from hayfever 2)I have had a severe allergic reaction to god knows what in the past
2. I have tattoos

Fuck that - im a natural mouse and might just embrace my greys, or stick with the blonde! I have dyed my hair darker in the past but im not taking a chance now. I just wish my bloody hair would grow faster because my roots take AGES to grow out.

I know that you wont react to something the first time you encounter it, you have to be sensitised to any allergen as you develop anti-bodies to it in the first, very mild reaction which is why subsequent reactions are more severe - I know this! WHAT WAS A THINKING!! Wonders if i can get a refund!

Just checked the ingredients and it does contain PPD, So that'l be going in the bin then :(

Sisters reaction was to Bees wax in the dye apparently! Who'd have thunk it!

I never used to test, used dye often found one I loved so stuck with it for a while until one time I itched and came out in dry itchy blistery weeping patches round my hairline and on my face! never used it again and am more wary now no idea why it suddenly happens but one or two since have left me a bit itchy and spotty at back of neck. would you not think that a safe solution to covering greys would have been found by now.

I think there are a few dyes that don't have ppd - herbatint is ringing a bell

Goawaybob, I don't blame you for not using the dye, I won't touch chemical dyes anymore and am strictly a henna girl, just wanted to correct the info in the previous post there is NO increased rish from having a normal tattoo, tattoos do not contain PPD. 'Black Henna' street art tattoos are done with PPD (in the form of black hair dye) and are a completely different thing.

My mum didn't and ended up in hospital. Twas bad and she missed out on her holiday as he was admitted for a few days.

I would bother with a strand test now. But I'm going grey and doing nothing about it.

In the face of the stories on here and in the media about people having sudden and serious reactions to hair dye, I can't actually believe that anyone would come on to this thread and advocate not patch testing.

OP - lush henna blocks are brill for covering grey.

oh, hell. Well I colour my hair, and would prefer to continue to do so as I am not quite at the point where I'll happily embrace my greys. I do wish they're do a little packet for testing in the box, because the only reason I don't test is because it means opening the containers and leaving them open for 48 hours.

I did use Lush henna blocks previously, but doesn't that literally take all day to do properly? It was something I could do easily in pre-children days. I suppose I'll have to look into that again. These stories are terrible. :(

From the article listed above, btw:

I went to a well-respected salon where a skin test was carried out well in advance and my highly qualified colourist did everything he should. Yet I still found myself, one hour later, in an ambulance with paramedics unsure if I'd even make it to the hospital. The CTPA admits that skin allergy tests are neither conclusive nor infallible.

So, doing a skin test isn't even the answer, though it might alert some cases. basically. :(

Henna really isn't that bad and so worthwhile, I slapped mine on at about 5.50, yesterday, did dinner, kids baths, stories etc, watched a bit of telly, washed it off at 9.30.

So yes, four hours on but as long as you don't need to go out of the house, it's fine. I find aplication easier too, I used to be quite precious but now just dollop it on, mush it in, wrap in cling film, fleece hat, 15 minutes max.