Hair dye is an over the counter product that you can use to transform your look in a quick and easy way. People have been using at home hair dye kits for years now. But what we don’t see in every day is the number of people who have adverse effects to hair dye. This article looks at how you can get a rash on the neck from hair dye.
There many chemicals in proceeded hair dye that can be the reason for you getting a rash on your neck and skin in general. This can turn into a very serious reaction if you let it. It can easily be avoided if you know what to avoid.
Table of Contents
What causes the reaction?
Hair dye contains a variety of ingredients that will cause adverse reactions on the skin. The ingredient that causes this is called paraphenylenediamine (PPD). It can be found in a variety of products including gasoline and temporary tattoo ink. This is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of products.
The labelling of hair products can be very misleading. You will need to take it upon yourself to figure out if any of the ingredients will give you a reaction. When comparing ingredient lists you might find that the darker or dark brown colour varieties will contain a higher amount of PPD. This is the main ingredient that most people react to and is what will give most people contact dermatitis. You might also want to check for these ingredients as they are known to cause a reaction:
- p-diaminobenzene
- p-phenylenediamine
- 4-phenylenediamine
- Phenylenediamine
- PPDA
- PPD
- Paraphenylenediamine
- 1,4-diaminobenzene
- 1,4-benzenediamine
- 4-aminoaniline
Symptoms:
The symptoms of an allergic reaction to dye are similar to any other allergic reaction. You might see the reaction immediately or in about 48 hours after using. Sometimes this happens when you are long gone from the salon and your treatment is done. These can include:
- Stinging on the skin
- A very red rash, very angry as well
- Blisters on the skin
- Eyelids that become swollen as well as a swollen face and scalp
If the situation is very serious then you can have an anaphylactic attack. These usually have more serious symptoms which will include vomiting, swelling of the tongue, having issues breathing and eating, nausea and irritated skin.
Note that this isn’t always an immediate reaction, the effects of the sensitivity might only show up hours after the dye has been used or it might show up immediately as the dye touches the skin
You also run the risk of getting acne from the hair dye, learn how here.
These symptoms can last from a few days to a few weeks depending on how bad the reaction is.
Combating the reaction:
As soon as you realize that you have this rash then you need to rinse the hair dye off. If necessary you need to clean the pores on your scalp by exfoliating.
Use hydrogen peroxide on the area that has the dye. Hydrogen peroxide is great at calming the skin and it’s an antiseptic.
If you find that your skin is itchy from the irritation you can moisturize the skin gently to calm it down, be sure to use a fragrance-free moisturizer to avoid more irritation
You can treat the reaction with an over the counter corticosteroid skin cream. It can be used everywhere on the body where necessary.
If you can and if you have any available, then you should use shampoos that contain corticosteroids, in them
Make sure that you are following the dye’s instructions to a T to prevent any adverse reactions as a result of improper use.
Preventing irritation:
Before you decide to use the dye weather you are in the salon or at home you should do a patch test on a small area of your skin to make sure it doesn’t react.
If you can, you might want to have a dermatologist do an allergy test on your skin to check if you will be allergic to the product that will be applied on the skin.
If you are allergic to benzocaine and procaine then the chances of you being allergic to PPD is much higher, check with your doctor if you are allergic to any of these
Temporary tattoos can expose you to PPD. If you have one I wouldn’t recommend getting your hair dyed because this might leave you a little more sensitive to the PPD and thus give you an allergic reaction.
Other options:
A good alternative option, that is also natural, is henna. Yes, some people can still be allergic to henna but this number is much lower than the number of people allergic to the chemical ingredients.
You can also try vegetable dyes, you will have to dye the hair more often but it is safer to use a non-permanent dye such as this
I hope you enjoyed this article exploring if hair dyes can cause rashes and other skin conditions. I hope that you are informed about the topic now and can make informed choices when using hair dye in the future. If you enjoyed this article please share it.
