Worries about allergy to hair dye!

[Sazziesaz]

Hi all, as part of HA I am absolutely petried of dying my hair but now is the time with grey hairs popping up. I have used wash in wash out but everytime I have a full blown panic attack, even though I do the test 48 hrs before. I really make myself ill with it!! Today in paper there was an article about a poor girl that had a severe allergic reaction even though she did the test before...... I have to do something as dont want to go completely grey!! Does anyone know of a safe product to use????

Sazzie

[pearl79]

im 32 and have always dyed my hair purpley red, all my life, but since HA i have only managed to do it once... i wish i could pluck up the courage, my greys are starting to show on the top of my head.... silly really cuz my mum, both sisters, neices... everyone does their hair on a regular basis... but i just cant... if you do find a decent product let me now xxx

---------- Post added at 14:31 ---------- Previous post was at 14:31 ----------

ps. the stories you read,.. the bad things that happen are so rare.. thats why they are in magazines or newspapers!!!

[Sazziesaz]

I am exactly the same! In fact I am in a panic now as I needed to have a new hair gel to stop the frizz as my one has discontinued! I did a little test on my arm and it has gone bright red.... so yes I am now panicing and convinced my throat is closing! I have washed my arm but am still petrified.... even though I know I am being silly. I hate HA

[pearl79]

im sure with a small area on your skin it wont make you have such a reaction especialy with gel :) ... im sure your fine there :) xxx

[swgrl09]

If it helps at all, I've been using at-home permanent hair dye for years -all colors, all different brands - and never did an allergy test and was ok. If you do the allergy test, you'll be fine. Who knows what was wrong with the girl you heard about, but millions of people use the dyes all the time and are ok.

[Carys]

I saw that woman in a news report, her case was so incredibly rare that it made the news ! For all we know she had shown signs of allergy before, or had allergies to other things, or left it on for too long.....or...or...or.....there are many things that we don't know about the situation. Of course you don't HAVE to dye your hair, it is a cosmetic change only and you could just live with your grey hair ( I do!)..... but if you really want to, and it'll make you feel better, then do the allergy test and I'm sure you will be just fine.

[miss_moose]

I get frightend too, even though it needs doing. I use hair mascara (completely safe!)

And i've been looking at some coploured styling mousses this morning to try,
Indola Color Style Mousse and Goldwell colorance soft mousse.

If you try those let me know how you get on, and i'll let you know if i get them first :)

[Pipkin]

Hi Sazzie,

I understand your worries. The stories you hear are incredibly rare - you never hear about the millions of people who have no problems at all.

As long as you do the allergy test, there's very little risk. Otherwise, you could go for a natural colour which has far fewer chemicals in it.

Good luck

Pip x

[crystal17]

Hi, I read that story as well. Remember its so unlikely to happen, and she might have been lying about doing the allergy test??
If its the article I'm thinking of, she had been dying her hair with the same dye since she was 14 and I doubt if she did that test every single time when she knew it had been safe. Not calling her a liar, just saying its a possibility she didnt want to admit to not doing the test.
Just make sure you do the allergy test correctly then use the hair dye and if you notice any symptoms while applying it then wash it out, but try not to worry! Its prob a one in a million chance.

I went to a new hairdressers yesterday and asked for highlights, they just did them there and then, didnt ask if I had any allergies or to do a patch test, and halfway through I did start to wonder about an allergic reaction lol...

[miss polly]

I feel exactly the same! There's been a spate of news stories concerning horrific reactions from users. Not so long ago one person died from an allergic reaction. The last time I got my hair dyed I had a full blown attack sitting in the hairdressers. I don't think |I can face that again. I know there are hair dyes that are organic and free from PPD. They're quite pricey and only semi permanent but I think that's the way to go for me!

[Sazziesaz]

Oh thank you everyone that replied! I am so happy I am not the only one that worries about the dyes! Oh think I may research the organic and free for PPD ones! I know it is irrational, but don't think I could go through the panic attacks I have when I do dye my hair. And Carys, I really would love to leave my hair, but it is so long, thick and curly that I would look like a scary witch!!