Hair colour allergy

[Eightiesgirl]

I've been having my hair coloured dark brown at the hairdressers for years with absolutely no problems. Due to cutting back on finances, I coloured my hair at home using a Nice and Easy medium brown 24 washes colour. Stupid me didn't do the patch test and my face blew up like a balloon for a few days. Luckily, I was OK and will never use that colour again but I'm now terrified of home hair dyes. I plan to save up and get my hair coloured at a salon but wonder if I'll now have a bad reaction to the salon colour too, even though I never did previously, or is there something in home hair dyes that can cause an allergic reaction that won't be in salon dyes?

Hi I’m sorry to say this but it’s possible you could have developed an allergy to hair dyes. The main culprit is PPD and there is mow of this in dark colours. I know that Wella do a permanent called Me plus that doesn’t contain it and is supposed to be better for people with allergies but it’s not guaranteed as it uses a similar chemical PTD I think but this is not as likely to cause a reaction. Hair colour without either of these chemicals is not as long lasting. Patrice Mulatto a French brand sell PPD free colour. You need to test every single time now as this could potentially cause a very serious reaction even anaphylaxis in the worst case.

Article about PPD in hair dye here

I had a hair dye allergy develop along with other allergies worsening when I went through menopause. Mine was at the hairdressers, it wasn’t as severe as yours and she said I should never use dye again because it can get worse each time. So I now have grey hair. Allergies can develop at any time but according to my Dr menopause is such a big bodily change it’s a likely time.

Thanks so much for the replies. I am currently going through the menopause, so it's interesting to read that it could be connected. Can anyone recommend a really good temporary hair colour as I'm not ready to embrace the grey just yet and I am having second thoughts about having a permanent colour again, even at the hairdressers.

I developed an allergy to brown hair dye a few years ago and started using an Italian coloured conditioner, Leganza.
It's pre mixed so nice and easy but you do have to do it more often. I do mine fortnightly.
I actually forgot about the allergy and had a patch test for a lash lift and colour and thankfully ended up with a very itchy ear rather than a very itchy eye!

Do you mind if I hijack with a question. I have always home dyed my hair. Went to the hairdressers last week and had a cut and patch test. It came up in a rash. Does that mean I won’t be able to have it coloured at all or will they try a different dye?

I have a PPD allergy, diagnosed via patch testing a few years back. I'd highlighted my hair with no issues for about 25yrs and was very cross!!

For a year or two after DX I had Elumen Goldwell colour done at my salon (different kind of dye to normal and doesn't contain PPD) but had a bad experience about 8mths ago (I think poss cross-contamination at the salon?) and so have given up entirely. I sort of hate the grey but also sort of don't give a monkey's now really 😁

IME no PPD-free dye other than Goldwell will give colour that lasts for longer than a few weeks. I used to use a Wells semi-permanent prior to that that was sort of like a toner, but it was a bit hit and miss colour-wise and washed out after about 6-8 washes.

As a PP mentioned there are dyes on the market containing PTD (para-toluenediamine) and some people who react to PPD will be fine with that, but some won't...I tend not to risk it.

Eyelash/eyebrow tints - for years I used Dyebrow but that has PPD in it. Weirdly Dylash doesn't seem to so I now use that on my brows and it's fine!

How much grey do you have? Henna can cover some greys. Alternative is to go blonde as bleach doesn’t contain PPD.

Thanks, I'm just researching the Patrice Mulatto and Leganza colours.

@WhatWouldHopperDo Unfortunately, I think they will probably refuse to colour your hair. Unless they offer a non permanent colour without this PPD stuff then I think it would be too risky for them to colour your hair.

Tints of Nature do a semi permanent that doesn’t contain PPD , I’ve used this I have 10% grey it blends them rather than covers them, for example if I use a dark brown the grey bits will be light brown. It depends on your hair and how often you wash it as to how long it will last. It leaves it very shiny though. I would still advise testing before though as you can react to any ingredient. Patrice Mulatto does a semi permanent too but it’s a lot more expensive than Tints of Nature