Hair Color Allergies

A fellow hairdresser friend of mine posted a story on Facebook today.  A British teen decided to color her hair at home, and and suffered from a nearly life threatening reaction.  As scary as that sounds its true.  Hair color, like food allergies, can cause a very wide range of reactions.  A hair color allergy can result in anything from mild itching, to full body anaphylaxis.  At work, I had 2 guests in the same week, who admitted to having hair color allergies, but requested a hair color service anyway.  One told me that they wold be ok, as long as the color was wrapped in foil, and the other let me know that she would be OK because she took benedryl before she came.  Clearly, I was more, much more worried than these women were.  


Maybe they didn't understand allergies so well.... but I think its important for everyone to understand your allergies can change!  What is mildly itchy today, can possibly swell your throat tomorrow.  Every time your body is exposed to an allergen, the response increases.  Using color in foil, or taking benedryl is not a solution, or a cure.  Hair color is always dangerous to those with allergies.  If you ever decide to color your hair at home, you should probably test the hair color on your skin first.  Mix a small amount the 2 chemicals together, as the directions instruct you to, and apply a small amount to your inner elbow, or behind your ear.  Even drug store boxes of hair color recommend you test for an allergy before use.  The chemical in hair color that triggers allergic reactions, in some, is called PPD (

ParaPhenyleneDiamine.)  The following substances are related to PPD, and can also cause allergic reactions:

• Local anesthetics benzocaine and procaine
• Sulfa drugs
• Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) in sun-protective creams
• Para-aminosalicylic acid used for treatment of tuberculosis

Use caution with chemicals like hair color, and always follow manufacturer's directions.  If you have a history of allergies, have ever had a reaction to hair color, or any of these related substances, avoid use of, or use extreme caution with hair color.  And always, always test yourself first.

* Please always check with your doctor for questions or concerns about your allergies.  While this information is meant to be informative, is should never substitute the advice of your physician