What causes hair dye allergies and how to treat them?
Most ingredients used in hair colouring solutions have the potential to irritate skin and trigger allergic responses. If someone develops a reaction to hair dye, they most likely are not allergic to the dye itself but rather to one of its ingredients. Para-phenylenediamine, generally known as PPD, is the most frequent cause of these allergic reactions.
The majority of commercially available hair dyes include PPD. To change the colour of the hair, PPD is typically used with peroxide in the dye. Para-toluenediamine (PTD), another typical ingredient included in hair dye, is more tolerable than PPD but still has the potential to trigger an allergic reaction in many people. Not all chemicals can result in allergic responses, including PPD. Ammonia, resorcinol, and peroxide are among the substances that might cause contact allergic dermatitis in certain persons.
PPD can cause reactions ranging from minor scalp irritation to allergic reactions that could result in significant symptoms all over the body. If you have moderate PPD irritation, you may find that your neck, forehead, scalp, ears, or eyes get swollen and irritated after applying hair colour or dye.
Symptoms of PPD exposure include redness, blisters, swelling, thickening, dryness, and cracking of the skin. You can get stinging or burning feelings.
Even if you’ve used a product or substance previously, you might develop an allergy to it at any moment. Because of this, it’s crucial to perform a patch test before applying hair colour, even if it’s a well-known brand. Stop applying hair colour entirely if you experience even a moderate adverse reaction. As your body gets more sensitive to the chemical with continued usage, you can experience a more severe response.
The hair should be rinsed as soon as any signs of a hair dye allergy appear. Through several gentle washes with a mild shampoo and numerous rinses with clear water, the excess colour may be removed. If the symptoms are not too severe, several over-the-counter topical creams may be effective enough to control them. But for more serious allergic reactions, a prescription steroid cream or sometimes oral steroid treatment may be necessary.