Please help...about hair color.

[urara12]

I did hair dye on May/04, ( by box color ) for cover my gray.
I did patch test and was ok. so I did dye.
my scalp was ok for while. however my scalp getting very sore and burning feel on May/09 which 5days after hair dye. so I did apply some of oil which contain jojoba oil, grapeseedoil, tyme, lavender,rosemary. then my scalp got really pain become more pain , however there was no any visible inflammation on my scalp.
but the burning feel never stoped. so I went to see my Dr. on May /17. he told me there is no inffection or enything.
but my scalp felt so hot. so I asked him * how come my scalp is so hot * he told me because you have inflammation.
he prescribed very mild cortisone lotion.
I did apply it and didn't work at all. however the condition getting better. but incase I went to see dermatologist before yesterday.
she ( Dr ) took look really well my scalp and told me nothing going on or enything wrong . she prescribed strong cortisone lotion. and the lotion worked very well and my scalp is no more pain or itchy next day after I apply the lotoion.
today I just come up an idea
that it might be from hair dye? usual I only hair dye around my bang area which I have gray hair and sometimes my bang area is pain & itchy since I started hair dye.
however I did dye all my hair this month and almost all of my head was pain expect side of head.

is it possible that scalp get reaction about 4-5 days later
after hair dye and no visible symptoms?

now I am so scared to hair dye but I am not ready to gray....

thank you very much for reading my post.

[Luna12345]

it's possible, some people are allergic to these things this is why the boxes alwayys say to do the test first

[Sunsailing]

is it possible that scalp get reaction about 4-5 days later
after hair dye and no visible symptoms?

What did your Dermatologist tell you? Did you ask him/her? That is a question for the professional.




now I am so scared to hair dye but I am not ready to gray....

I would highly suggest that you have your hair professionally colored next time.
There is a difference between the over-the-counter and salon color.

[FrannyG]

While it does seem strange that it took 5 days for the inflammation to set in, it certainly does seem that it could be the hair dye.

You say you did the patch test. Did you do it exactly according to instructions, and leave it for 24 hours? Was there no reaction whatsoever?

It's good that there were no lesions, and that it was a simple inflammation, but I would be cautious.

I know it's expensive to go to a salon, but I might be tempted to do just that, at least the next time you need a touch-up.

I also might suggest that you try a different brand entirely of hair dye, if you do dye at home next time, and please, make sure to do the patch test again.

I guess the only way you'll know for sure is after you touch up your roots the next time. If you get inflammation again, then at least you'll know for sure whether it is caused by dye or not.

Also, go as long as you can without washing before you dye, so that protective sebum has a chance to build up on your scalp, and try coating your hair from root to tip with coconut oil for at least an hour before dyeing, as well. This will help protect your hair from peroxide damage, and may help protect your scalp as well.

If it does happen again, make sure that you have that lotion handy that the dermatologist gave you.

I wish you well with this. :blossom:

[dropinthebucket]

There are a lot of good sites devoted to PPD allergy and PPD sensitivity. Your reaction sounds exactly like what many women who have developed a PPD allergy/sensitivity have experienced. Oprah recently did a special on this, and I think her web site on it comes up quite easily if you google "Oprah" and "PPD." Allergies can become more and more severe.

Almost all box hair dyes have PPD in them - some of the natural ones (so billed) and available at the organic stores also have PPD. Check the labels carefully, and learn which chemical names companies are using now to "disguise" the PPD in the ingredients list. If you want to colour your hair without PPD, your options are henna (and something else like indigo or katam if you want brown), or a no-PPD product like Elumen or the PPD-free line from Naturtint.

[halo_tightens]

I agree that it's probably the dye, as it fits with my own experience.

The last time I ever used black dye in my life, I did the patch test exactly as instructed, and nothing happened. I went ahead and did my whole head. It looked great! Over the next few days, though, my scalp grew more and more irritated and swollen until I finally had to to go the emergency room for treatment.

Now I can't use any sort of PPD dyes at all. I advise you to stay away from them as well... This sort of thing gets worse with each subsequent exposure! I had small warning signs before the big disaster, but ignored them because they were so mild. I didn't know the nature of PPD sensitivity then, so I thought I was okay.

Be safe!! :flower:

[UltraBella]

You can easily be allergic to salon color as well, but we have special additives we can mix in for people with sensitive scalps. And the reaction is usually while the product is in contact with your skin, I have never heard of anyone having a reaction to professional grade dye days later. But I have seen someone's scalp peel days later from a chemical reaction they had while in the salon. Whether box or salon color, you have to be careful.

[pinkbunny]

Have you thought about trying more natural do-it-yourself dyes? Like henna, indigo, or honey lightening?

[dropinthebucket]

ultrabella, it's becoming a better known problem as more and more women - and more and more stylists! - are developing this kind of sensitivity. and it's exactly as the OP describes, not irritation just when applied, but a swollen, itchy mess that develops in the days after coloring. one chemists' group in the UK is fighting to have boxed commercial dyes - salon or home use - labelled with the same kind of warning that comes on cigarette packets. this is because PPD has been clinically shown, in trial after trial after trial, to be both carcinogenic and highly allergenic. the new legislation they are trying to introduce comes in the wake of four PPD-allergy related deaths in the last few months - in this case, not from cancer, which is more difficult to prove a direct link to PPD with, but from severe anaphylactic reaction following exposure to PPD. one young mother recently posted a blog about her severe PPD reaction: after using chemical dyes for years, she suddenly developed a sensitivity, her scalp became itchy and swollen, and when she finally went to the emergency room, the problem had become so severe it affected her brain and nervous system. it's definitely something to think about. i feel especially bad for stylists, because while many may not develop direct symptoms, a number do - and others are exposed for years, with no way to prove that future health problems may be related. there is also a stylist support group for those who have developed PPD allergy and yet must still work in the industry, i will see if i can find the link - also a lot of good resources there for reference, urara12. hope it all works out, urara!

added: ah, ok, here it is - i think this is the one - i've bookmarked several, but i think this is it:
http://www.healthhype.com/hair-dye-allergies.html

and this site has a number of non-PPD containing hair dye brands:
http://www.suvarna.co.uk/

[urara12]

at first, all lady's. :)thank you very much for reply to my post.
I am really appreciate.
Luna12345. thank you for your post. I did patch test it and waited 48hour, my skin didn't react anything.
I guess I have to gave up any color which contain PPD.

sunsailing. thank you very much for your reply.I didn't ask it for Dr. but I told her that I had hair dye on May/04.etc
but she said there is no any sign on my scalp. no red, no bump etc
I didn't have any sign on my scalp from beginning. but I had itchy,pain and my scalp was very hot.
feel like hair follicle is tingling too.


FrannyG,thank you very much for your reply.
my scalp was OK for 4 days. no itchy or any pain. but pain started around 4th day.
so I never thought I was reacting with hair dye. also I've had hair dye since I was 18 ( on and off ) at box color or hair salon.
( now I am 43) no any reaction from the patch test. now I am so scary to hair dye box or salon...
so I am thinking to do henna.

dropinthebucket . thank you very much for your post.
I think I got reaction with PPD or black dye.( I did use a jet black color ) I might been reacting by hair color for long time
but my reaction is sooooo mild so maybe I didn't notice until this time which I did dye all my hair ( tried to make an even color)
I dye my hair only where gray hair , like here and there, most my gray hair's is bang area which maybe 20 total.
but it's so difficult to color on only gray. so I end up dye all bang roots area.
my bang area sore sometimes since I start to cover gray.
I am going to check the site later. I really appreciate.


I have to go right now. so I will write more later.:p

[Fractalsofhair]

You can also use a color like manic panic which is not permanent if you are allergic to PPD. Manic panic comes in black, brown(2 shades), and a toner if you need to dilute a color. It does sound like an allergic reaction to me.

[urara12]

halo tightens.
thank you very much for your reply.oh! I am sorry to hear that you have to go ER.
how long tool time to get your scalp start to sore ? did you get any visible sign on scalp?
my scalp looked very normal color however if I touch my top of scalp I could feel the swollen and very hot.
I ask to my DH to touch the swollen part,he said it's something very flat bump. it was not big bump , so it was difficult to tell right away.
my Dr ( family Dr ) didn't touch it. he just took look. the Dermatologist did touch it, but it's already about 10 days later after I am seeing the family Dr.

Ultrabella. thank you very much for your reply.
I did check salon color, but they contain PPD. so I am thinking to dye by henna which I am no big Henna fan...;-(

pink bunny. thank you very much for your post.
yes. I am thinking to dye by Henna. I did henna long time ago but it's made my hair kind of orange red.
so I guess I have to use a indigo. I only want to cover my gray which 50 total .

dropinthebucket. I never though it can be cause the dye. because my scalp was fine for least 4 days after dye.
I did dye Night of 4th May. then I did wash at Night of 6Th May.
now what I remember is I did rinse well after dye. maybe 25min or more because color come out no matter how much I did rinse.
then still just very light color still come out when I washed at 6th. so now I am wondering if the color had stuck in my hair follicle's for long time.

I was thinking last night about when my scalp started itchy and sore also I am having scalp pain like after tight pony tail.
and where the pain is . it's all started after I started my hair dye and place which I dye( most bang area )also my hair start shed a lot.
but I never had any reaction after hair dye.
so I worried so much if I am getting bald ...or any another sick.
I lost 10lbs weight cause worry....:(
my Dermatologist told me that I don't have any sign of alopecia.
my scalp still little bit sore. so I hope the medicine work well.

Fractalsofhair. thank you very much for your post.
Manic panic , I will try Manic panic before I try Henna!! thank you do much for let me know about it.

[UltraBella]

Matrix has a line of Demi colors called Colorsync that do not contain PPD. Also no ammonia and no peroxide. A Demi applied several times will become permanent, but without all the damage.

[urara12]

Matrix has a line of Demi colors called Colorsync that do not contain PPD. Also no ammonia and no peroxide. A Demi applied several times will become permanent, but without all the damage.

UltraBella. oh! I can get Matrix line from pro store.
so I go check it . thanks a lot:)