Sore scalp after hair dye

[LittleEsme]

This is the second time this has happened. Get my roots done at the hairdressers and , it's a lovely job, but my scalp is very sore. It's not inflamed or damaged - just really sore to the point where I can't brush my hair.

Anyone else experienced this?

Did you not have a patch test before you had it done?

I take an antihistamine before a colour and find my scalp is less sensitive if the hairdresser uses cooler water to wash my hair.

Yes, many years ago. I have had the same hairdresser for years and he has used the same brand.

It's so sore!

I'll try this next time.

I'm just wondering what to do now the job has been done.

You should always repeat the patch tests given the same product may well have different ingredients and potentially you might be more sensitive post a viral infection or vaccine.
Are you sure you are washing it out throughly enough?

You should have a new patch test every 6 months and if you've had a black henna tattoo done between your last visit and now.

You can develop an allergy at any point and the product itself could be reformulated either with different ingredients or different proportions.

This should be common knowledge to your hairdresser, so the fact they haven't insisted on a patch test suggests they're not very good.

I dyed my hair from 12 yrs old, when I was about 20 I suddenly became allergic, since then every patch test for any semi or permanent dye causes a reaction. I'm fine with bleach and with the crazy colour manic panic style ones, but anything else and I get anything from a bit red and itchy to open sores and needing steroids.

Is it a dark colour? That apparently is worse for newly developed allergies. Get a patch test every time before you have it redone just in case and take anti-histamines for now.

It has been mentioned, but for anything on the skin, beauty or hair, you should have regular patch tests, as not only do the formulations change but so too does your body's reactions and age can also have an impact in how your react to chemicals. Better to be safe than sorry.

Paracetamol can help with itching.
Was your hair freshly washed? It's supposed to be a bit greasy for protection.
I also went through a phase of finding the hair colour intensely itching, but it got better again so I don't think I developed an allergy.