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Regular Contributor
Posts: 214
Registered: ‎03-29-2011

Anyone with a hair dye allergy?

I've been getting my hair colored for at least 5 yrs.  This last time I had a bad allergic reaction and from what I can tell by online research, it was likely the chemical PPD.

 

It's hard to find hair dye without PPD. I have a light-medium brown with blonde highlights right now and this is a really good color for me. I have grey that I need to cover.

 

I have a call in to my stylist to see if she has any suggestions.  I have about 8 wks to figure this out! 

 

Anyone out there with this allergy?  What did you end up doing?  Any suggestions for brands/products that you used that didn't have this ingredient and had good results? I'm seeing mixed reviews online.

 

Thanks.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,153
Registered: ‎05-22-2012

Re: Anyone with a hair dye allergy?

[ Edited ]

No, but I have looked into alternatives and tried some before I committed to permanent chemical color. You could try henna or Herbatint. Henna is known for reds, but you can get a range of henna colors from red to brown and black. Some brands offer blondes, but I haven't tried any of those and don't know anyone who has, so I can't speak to those results. I've used a henna by Light Mountain before and my friend uses Lush Henna bars. I've found Light Mountain at health foods stores and I think I've seen it at my local Whole Foods. The Light Mountain boxes have animals on them, like a red fox or a nautilus. I gave up henna for chemical dyes because henna is like an all day event vs 90 minutes.

 

Here's a Good Housekeeping article on some alternatives. http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty-products/hair-dye-reviews/advice/a17382/non-toxic-hair-dyes-5...

 

Here are some written directions on using henna hair color, but there are also loads of YouTube videos you can check out. These directions also have a link to a YouTube video: http://www.light-mountain-hair-color.com/pdf/LM_Natural.pdf

Honored Contributor
Posts: 17,047
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: Anyone with a hair dye allergy?


@butterflygirl69 wrote:

I've been getting my hair colored for at least 5 yrs.  This last time I had a bad allergic reaction and from what I can tell by online research, it was likely the chemical PPD.

 

It's hard to find hair dye without PPD. I have a light-medium brown with blonde highlights right now and this is a really good color for me. I have grey that I need to cover.

 

I have a call in to my stylist to see if she has any suggestions.  I have about 8 wks to figure this out! 

 

Anyone out there with this allergy?  What did you end up doing?  Any suggestions for brands/products that you used that didn't have this ingredient and had good results? I'm seeing mixed reviews online.

 

Thanks.


years ago I had a reaction to a hair color, my stylist thought it was the peroxide in the permanent color.  at the time we went back to semi-permanent.

I now used Robert Craig color and do it at home. you can google if I put in the site the mods will delete probably.

I am not sure what PPD is the only result I got was the PPD test for tuberculosis.

 

As for Herbatint that also uses peroxide to drive the color into the hair.

 

You can call Robert Craig they are very helpful, and offer sales in October

 

My current stylist offered to test some color for me, however I declined as I find it convenient to do it at home now when it is easier for me and cheaper.  Although a professional would do a better job.

 

 

 

Regular Contributor
Posts: 214
Registered: ‎03-29-2011

Re: Anyone with a hair dye allergy?

Thanks for the info.  I have been reading up on henna and it kind of scares me!  Although it may be my best option.

 

PPD= Paraphenylenediamine:  a chemical substance that is widely used as a permanent hair dye. It may also been found in textile or fur dyes, dark coloured cosmetics, temporary tattoos, photographic developer and lithography plates, photocopying and printing inks, black rubber, oils, greases and gasoline.

 

I can see why people are allergic to PPD after reading that description!

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,838
Registered: ‎07-24-2013

Re: Anyone with a hair dye allergy?

 

i have had burning scalp from salon dyes and i did not realize it likely was due to PPD.

the colorist used to rub the color into my scalp! and then put me under the hood dryer!

 

http://www.allergictohairdye.com/  [not a medical website] [one if the pages has a list of alternative colors/dyes]

 

What is PPD?

Para-phenylenediamine (PPD) is a chemical substance derived from coal tar (and you’re putting it on your scalp!). In addition to being used in many permanent and semi-permanent hair dyes,  it may also be found in temporary tattoos (some “henna” tattoos are not henna at all but pure PPD).

 

PPD hair dyes usually come packaged as two bottles — one contains the PPD dye preparation and the other contains the developer. These are mixed together to create the color that is then applied to the hair.

 

PPD is a cumulative allergy, which means it builds up in your system until your body cannot tolerate it any longer and reacts. So if you are allergic, you may not react the first or fifth or tenth time you color your hair, but eventually, you will have a reaction.

 

What are the symptoms of a PPD allergic reaction?

Symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening and may include:

  • Itchy or burning scalp
  • Rash on the scalp, forehead, neck
  • Rash, itching and/or hives anywhere on the body
  • Swelling around the eyes, face, mouth or neck
  • Weeping or oozing sores on the scalp, face, neck or shoulders
  • Swollen glands
  • Hair loss
  • Difficulty breathing (call 911)

Symptoms and reaction times vary greatly! Symptoms may occur anywhere from within minutes of applying the dye to several weeks after coloring your hair, depending on your individual sensitivity and reaction. Reactions may last for days, weeks or months and frequently require medical attention.

 

PPD has many aliases.  Here are a few to watch out for on labels:

PPDA, Phenylenediamine base, p-Phenylenediamine,4-Phenylenediamine, 1,4-Phenylenediamine , 4-Benzenediamine, 1,4-Benzenediamine, para-Diaminobenzene (p-Diaminobenzene) para-Aminoaniline (p-Aminoaniline), Diaminobenzene, Benzenediamine,  Aminoaniline,  Fenylenodwuamina, Fouramine 1, m-Aminoaniline, m-Benzenediamine, m-Diaminobenzene, m-Fenylendiamin, m-Phenylene diamine, M-Phenylenediamine, meta-Aminoaniline, meta-Benzenediamine, meta-Diaminobenzene, Metaphenylenediamine, p-Aminoaniline, p-Benzenediamine, p-Fenylendiamin, p-Phenyldiamine, p-Phenylenediamine, PLP-ASP,  Para touline diamine (PTD), Touline Diamine Sulfate (TDS), Renal PF, 6PPD, APCO 2330, Aspartyl-Pyridoxal-5′-Phosphate, C02454, CI Developer 11, Developer 11, Developer C, Developer H, Developer M, Direct Brown BR, Direct Brown GG.

 

If you are allergic to PPD, you may also cross-react to any of these: 

  • Azo dyes and aniline dyes (often used in semi-permanent and temporary hair dyes)
  • Benzocaine and procaine (anesthetics used by doctors and dentists) Sulfonamides and sulfa drugs
  • Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA)
  • Para-aminosalicylic acid
  • Carbutamide
  • Hydrochlorothiazide

It’s a lot to watch out for. Read labels carefully!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 25,011
Registered: ‎10-03-2011

Re: Anyone with a hair dye allergy?


@butterflygirl69 wrote:

I've been getting my hair colored for at least 5 yrs.  This last time I had a bad allergic reaction and from what I can tell by online research, it was likely the chemical PPD.

 

It's hard to find hair dye without PPD. I have a light-medium brown with blonde highlights right now and this is a really good color for me. I have grey that I need to cover.

 

I have a call in to my stylist to see if she has any suggestions.  I have about 8 wks to figure this out! 

 

Anyone out there with this allergy?  What did you end up doing?  Any suggestions for brands/products that you used that didn't have this ingredient and had good results? I'm seeing mixed reviews online.

 

Thanks.


@butterflygirl69 - when my daughter was in cosmetology school, she was experimenting with all kinds of colors.  When she went black, she had a horrible reaction.  We learned it was a PPD allergy.  Look up pics on the Internet and you'll see what she looked like - face so swollen her eye practically closed, a terrble rash.  It was awful.  She had to go to the doctor and get a prednisone dose pack.  If one time wasn't enough for her to learn her lesson, she tried it again sometime later and the same thing happened, but a bit worse.  She was told it would get worse everytime so she should stop, for her own good.  She avoids the super dark ones, but still likes to play with color, so now she has the hair dye foiled in as closely as possible without letting the dye actually get on the scalp.  When she's done, you can still see a little of the original color (like new outgrowth), but it's the best option for. her.  When working on clients, she always has to be sure to wear gloves that will go up higher onto her forearm.  She only reacts to the dark hair dyes.  She's never had a bad reaction to any tattoo dyes.

Regular Contributor
Posts: 214
Registered: ‎03-29-2011

Re: Anyone with a hair dye allergy?


@ashleigh dupray wrote:

 

PPD is a cumulative allergy, which means it builds up in your system until your body cannot tolerate it any longer and reacts. So if you are allergic, you may not react the first or fifth or tenth time you color your hair, but eventually, you will have a reaction.

 

What are the symptoms of a PPD allergic reaction?

Symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening and may include:

  • Itchy or burning scalp
  • Rash on the scalp, forehead, neck
  • Rash, itching and/or hives anywhere on the body
  • Swelling around the eyes, face, mouth or neck
  • Weeping or oozing sores on the scalp, face, neck or shoulders
  • Swollen glands
  • Hair loss
  • Difficulty breathing (call 911)

Symptoms and reaction times vary greatly! Symptoms may occur anywhere from within minutes of applying the dye to several weeks after coloring your hair, depending on your individual sensitivity and reaction. Reactions may last for days, weeks or months and frequently require medical attention.

 

 

The bolded sypmtoms are what I experienced.  My scalp got really warm and the base of my head/neck was swollen as were the glands at the base of my neck (also painful).  I had a rash all around my hairline and my scalp had that 'skin crawling' feel to it.  

 

I'm wondering if that's why I've been losing a significant amount of hair over the last 2 months (I had my roots done about 2 mos ago and then again this past weekend).  When I had it done 2 mos ago my scalp felt extra itchy, but I just assumed it was because the dye wasn't washed out well enough.  I'm sure now that I was having an allergic reaction and this past weekend's reaction was just the allergic reaction getting worse. I can't imagine how bad it would be if I used it again.

 

I had also read that foiling was an option.  What a pain!  My sytlist won't do foiling for highlights, so I'm sure she won't do it for this either. 

 

Maybe I'll go blonde and hope that the level of PPD is low enough in the blonde.  I would of course do a patch test first.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 24,685
Registered: ‎07-21-2011

Re: Anyone with a hair dye allergy?


@butterflygirl69 wrote:

I've been getting my hair colored for at least 5 yrs.  This last time I had a bad allergic reaction and from what I can tell by online research, it was likely the chemical PPD.

 

It's hard to find hair dye without PPD. I have a light-medium brown with blonde highlights right now and this is a really good color for me. I have grey that I need to cover.

 

I have a call in to my stylist to see if she has any suggestions.  I have about 8 wks to figure this out! 

 

Anyone out there with this allergy?  What did you end up doing?  Any suggestions for brands/products that you used that didn't have this ingredient and had good results? I'm seeing mixed reviews online.

 

Thanks.


I use to have my hair colored with a permanent color that was made in Italy. Loved it -- super shiny but not only this brand but any permanent color made my scalp itch like crazy.  I finally gave up with permanent color and started using Shades by Redken and then I started doing my own with Natural Instincts.  I found that my gray grew out the same with permanent versus semi perm and the coverage was the same for me.  Natural Instincts never damaged my hair.  I stopped coloring my hair 7 or 8 years ago and wear it in short layers and never looked back.  I always hated coloring my hair or having it colored.

kindness is strength
Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,614
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: Anyone with a hair dye allergy?


@butterflygirl69 wrote:

@ashleigh dupray wrote:

 

PPD is a cumulative allergy, which means it builds up in your system until your body cannot tolerate it any longer and reacts. So if you are allergic, you may not react the first or fifth or tenth time you color your hair, but eventually, you will have a reaction.

 

What are the symptoms of a PPD allergic reaction?

Symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening and may include:

  • Itchy or burning scalp
  • Rash on the scalp, forehead, neck
  • Rash, itching and/or hives anywhere on the body
  • Swelling around the eyes, face, mouth or neck
  • Weeping or oozing sores on the scalp, face, neck or shoulders
  • Swollen glands
  • Hair loss
  • Difficulty breathing (call 911)

Symptoms and reaction times vary greatly! Symptoms may occur anywhere from within minutes of applying the dye to several weeks after coloring your hair, depending on your individual sensitivity and reaction. Reactions may last for days, weeks or months and frequently require medical attention.

 

 

The bolded sypmtoms are what I experienced.  My scalp got really warm and the base of my head/neck was swollen as were the glands at the base of my neck (also painful).  I had a rash all around my hairline and my scalp had that 'skin crawling' feel to it.  

 

I'm wondering if that's why I've been losing a significant amount of hair over the last 2 months (I had my roots done about 2 mos ago and then again this past weekend).  When I had it done 2 mos ago my scalp felt extra itchy, but I just assumed it was because the dye wasn't washed out well enough.  I'm sure now that I was having an allergic reaction and this past weekend's reaction was just the allergic reaction getting worse. I can't imagine how bad it would be if I used it again.

 

I had also read that foiling was an option.  What a pain!  My sytlist won't do foiling for highlights, so I'm sure she won't do it for this either. 

 

Maybe I'll go blonde and hope that the level of PPD is low enough in the blonde.  I would of course do a patch test first.


I found blonde worse. I ended up in the hospital from a high lift product....L'Oreal high lift ash blonde. I had swollen glands and I had multiple abrasions on my scalp for weeks. I also think it broke off my hair at the root.

 

I was told that I should only use semi-permanent hair color but I am not really gray yet, so I have been growing out my hair to its natural color.

Regular Contributor
Posts: 214
Registered: ‎03-29-2011

Re: Anyone with a hair dye allergy?


@VioletEyes wrote:

@butterflygirl69 wrote:

@ashleigh dupray wrote:

 

PPD is a cumulative allergy, which means it builds up in your system until your body cannot tolerate it any longer and reacts. So if you are allergic, you may not react the first or fifth or tenth time you color your hair, but eventually, you will have a reaction.

 

What are the symptoms of a PPD allergic reaction?

Symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening and may include:

  • Itchy or burning scalp
  • Rash on the scalp, forehead, neck
  • Rash, itching and/or hives anywhere on the body
  • Swelling around the eyes, face, mouth or neck
  • Weeping or oozing sores on the scalp, face, neck or shoulders
  • Swollen glands
  • Hair loss
  • Difficulty breathing (call 911)

Symptoms and reaction times vary greatly! Symptoms may occur anywhere from within minutes of applying the dye to several weeks after coloring your hair, depending on your individual sensitivity and reaction. Reactions may last for days, weeks or months and frequently require medical attention.

 

 

The bolded sypmtoms are what I experienced.  My scalp got really warm and the base of my head/neck was swollen as were the glands at the base of my neck (also painful).  I had a rash all around my hairline and my scalp had that 'skin crawling' feel to it.  

 

I'm wondering if that's why I've been losing a significant amount of hair over the last 2 months (I had my roots done about 2 mos ago and then again this past weekend).  When I had it done 2 mos ago my scalp felt extra itchy, but I just assumed it was because the dye wasn't washed out well enough.  I'm sure now that I was having an allergic reaction and this past weekend's reaction was just the allergic reaction getting worse. I can't imagine how bad it would be if I used it again.

 

I had also read that foiling was an option.  What a pain!  My sytlist won't do foiling for highlights, so I'm sure she won't do it for this either. 

 

Maybe I'll go blonde and hope that the level of PPD is low enough in the blonde.  I would of course do a patch test first.


I found blonde worse. I ended up in the hospital from a high lift product....L'Oreal high lift ash blonde. I had swollen glands and I had multiple abrasions on my scalp for weeks. I also think it broke off my hair at the root.

 

I was told that I should only use semi-permanent hair color but I am not really gray yet, so I have been growing out my hair to its natural color.

 

That sounds awful!

 

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