Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Chemicals in hair dyes may cause allergies for some people. Around 38% of people who color their hair report having an allergic reaction to hair dye.
The most common allergic reaction to hair dye iscontact dermatitis, which causes itchy, flaky skin. Treatment for hair dye that causes an allergic reaction includes topical creams, like topical corticosteroids.
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The symptoms of contact dermatitis related to hair dye are redness, itchiness, and rash on the face, eyelids, ears, and neck. Rashes are less common on the scalp because the skin is thick, but you may feel a tingling or burning sensation and notice some generalized redness.
An allergic reaction to hair dye will usually start within two to three days of using the dye and get better in several days to weeks.First-time reactions, however, may take longer to show symptoms, sometimes as long as two weeks.
When to Get Emergency CareCall 911 or go to your nearest emergency room if you experience symptoms of anaphylaxis. If left untreated, anaphylaxis can lead to coma, shock, heart or lung failure, and even death.
When to Get Emergency Care
Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room if you experience symptoms of anaphylaxis. If left untreated, anaphylaxis can lead to coma, shock, heart or lung failure, and even death.
It’s rare, but hair dye chemicals can cause a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction calledanaphylaxis. The symptoms of anaphylaxis come on quickly (within minutes to hours) and include:
How long will a hair dye allergy last?Hair dye reactions usually improve after a few days, but can sometimes take weeks, depending on the severity of the allergy.
How long will a hair dye allergy last?
Hair dye reactions usually improve after a few days, but can sometimes take weeks, depending on the severity of the allergy.
Hair dye allergies happen when the immune system responds to chemicals when they are put on the skin. Contact dermatitis happens because an allergen that contacts the skin triggers an immune response from the body.
The allergens become antigens and interact with a part of the immune system’s defense (T-lymphocytes). The interaction triggers the release of cells (cytokines), which causes an inflammatory response in just that part of the body (localized). The response fights off the allergen, which the body sees as an invader.
Some people will have more serious allergic reactions. When this happens, the body makes and releasesimmunoglobulin E (IgE)into the bloodstream. IgE triggers special white blood cells calledmast cellsto flood the body with a substance that triggers allergy symptoms (histamine).
The chemical in hair dye that is most likely to cause an allergy is calledpara-phenylenediamine(PPD). PPD is found in more than two-thirds of permanent hair dyes and can penetrate the hair shaft as well as bind to proteins in the skin.
Other potential allergens in hair dye include cobalt, found in brown hair dyes, andglyceryl thioglycolate, which is used for permanent cold hair waves.
A hair dye allergy is often easy to spot, but an allergy test can be used to find out if a person has multiple allergies or has had a very bad reaction. Some people have the test done to figure out if there are other hair dye products they could use.
Allergy testing should be done in a provider’s office. The most common test is thepatch test. For this test, suspected allergens are placed on the skin. The patch is taken off after about 48 hours. A final reading is done about four days after the patch was placed to see what, if any, reactions happened.
If you have a hair dye allergy, first, remove and rinse the dye immediately if it’s still in contact with your skin. You can usetopical corticosteroid creamsto relieve inflammation and itching. Weaker versions of the cream, such as hydrocortisone 1%, are available over the counter (OTC).
If you have a bad reaction and need a stronger cream, you’ll need a prescription from your provider. However, overusing stronger creams can lead to permanent thinning of the skin (cutaneous atrophy).The risk is higher if the cream is used on the delicate tissues of the face.
There are other topical formulations, such asElidel and Protopic, that can be used to treat a facial rash.
If you have severe allergies, you may need systemic corticosteroids in pill form or given as an injection.
How do you treat an allergic reaction to hair dye?Remove the dye immediately. Topical corticosteroid creams, like hydrocortisone, can help alleviate symptoms. Stronger or more persistent reactions may require a prescription from your healthcare provider.
How do you treat an allergic reaction to hair dye?
Remove the dye immediately. Topical corticosteroid creams, like hydrocortisone, can help alleviate symptoms. Stronger or more persistent reactions may require a prescription from your healthcare provider.
Summary
Some people who color their hair have an allergic reaction to the dye. The most common reaction to hair dye is contact dermatitis which causes an itchy, flaky scalp. It’s less common but some people experience a rare and very serious kind of allergy to hair dye called anaphylaxis. This is a medical emergency that needs immediate treatment.
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Patel D, Narayana S, Krishnaswamy B.Trends in use of hair dye: a cross-sectional study.Int J Trichology.2013;5(3):140-3. doi:10.4103/0974-7753.125610Gupta M, Mahajan VK, Mehta KS, Chauhan PS.Hair dye dermatitis and p-phenylenediamine contact sensitivity: A preliminary report.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2015;6(4):241-6. doi:10.4103/2229-5178.160253Alajaji AN.Hair Product Allergy: A Review of Epidemiology and Management. Cureus.2024 Apr 11;16(4):e58054. doi: 10.7759/cureus.58054. PMID: 38738072; PMCID: PMC11088418.Medline Plus.Allergic reactions.National Health Service.Hair dye reactions.Johns Hopkins.Contact dermatitis.Mukkanna KS, Stone NM, Ingram JR.Para-phenylenediamine allergy: Current perspectives on diagnosis and management.Journal of Asthma and Allergy. 2017;Volume10:9-15. doi:10.2147/jaa.s90265Impact of co/cross-reactants on available alternative hair dyes in p-phenylenediamine allergic patients.Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2014;70(5):AB68. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2014.01.283Alajaji AN.Hair Product Allergy: A Review of Epidemiology and Management. Cureus. 2024 Apr 11;16(4):e58054. doi: 10.7759/cureus.58054. PMID: 38738072; PMCID: PMC11088418.Mukkanna KS, Stone NM, Ingram JR.Para-phenylenediamine allergy: current perspectives on diagnosis and management. J Asthma Allergy. 2017 Jan 18;10:9-15. doi: 10.2147/JAA.S90265. PMID: 28176912; PMCID: PMC5261844.Coondoo A, Phiske M, Verma S, Lahiri K.Side-effects of topical steroids: A long overdue revisit.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2014;5(4):416-25. doi:10.4103/2229-5178.142483Hitzeman N, Kinnevey C.Topical tacrolimus for eczema.Am Fam Physician.2016;94(7):549-550.
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Patel D, Narayana S, Krishnaswamy B.Trends in use of hair dye: a cross-sectional study.Int J Trichology.2013;5(3):140-3. doi:10.4103/0974-7753.125610Gupta M, Mahajan VK, Mehta KS, Chauhan PS.Hair dye dermatitis and p-phenylenediamine contact sensitivity: A preliminary report.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2015;6(4):241-6. doi:10.4103/2229-5178.160253Alajaji AN.Hair Product Allergy: A Review of Epidemiology and Management. Cureus.2024 Apr 11;16(4):e58054. doi: 10.7759/cureus.58054. PMID: 38738072; PMCID: PMC11088418.Medline Plus.Allergic reactions.National Health Service.Hair dye reactions.Johns Hopkins.Contact dermatitis.Mukkanna KS, Stone NM, Ingram JR.Para-phenylenediamine allergy: Current perspectives on diagnosis and management.Journal of Asthma and Allergy. 2017;Volume10:9-15. doi:10.2147/jaa.s90265Impact of co/cross-reactants on available alternative hair dyes in p-phenylenediamine allergic patients.Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2014;70(5):AB68. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2014.01.283Alajaji AN.Hair Product Allergy: A Review of Epidemiology and Management. Cureus. 2024 Apr 11;16(4):e58054. doi: 10.7759/cureus.58054. PMID: 38738072; PMCID: PMC11088418.Mukkanna KS, Stone NM, Ingram JR.Para-phenylenediamine allergy: current perspectives on diagnosis and management. J Asthma Allergy. 2017 Jan 18;10:9-15. doi: 10.2147/JAA.S90265. PMID: 28176912; PMCID: PMC5261844.Coondoo A, Phiske M, Verma S, Lahiri K.Side-effects of topical steroids: A long overdue revisit.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2014;5(4):416-25. doi:10.4103/2229-5178.142483Hitzeman N, Kinnevey C.Topical tacrolimus for eczema.Am Fam Physician.2016;94(7):549-550.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Patel D, Narayana S, Krishnaswamy B.Trends in use of hair dye: a cross-sectional study.Int J Trichology.2013;5(3):140-3. doi:10.4103/0974-7753.125610Gupta M, Mahajan VK, Mehta KS, Chauhan PS.Hair dye dermatitis and p-phenylenediamine contact sensitivity: A preliminary report.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2015;6(4):241-6. doi:10.4103/2229-5178.160253Alajaji AN.Hair Product Allergy: A Review of Epidemiology and Management. Cureus.2024 Apr 11;16(4):e58054. doi: 10.7759/cureus.58054. PMID: 38738072; PMCID: PMC11088418.Medline Plus.Allergic reactions.National Health Service.Hair dye reactions.Johns Hopkins.Contact dermatitis.Mukkanna KS, Stone NM, Ingram JR.Para-phenylenediamine allergy: Current perspectives on diagnosis and management.Journal of Asthma and Allergy. 2017;Volume10:9-15. doi:10.2147/jaa.s90265Impact of co/cross-reactants on available alternative hair dyes in p-phenylenediamine allergic patients.Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2014;70(5):AB68. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2014.01.283Alajaji AN.Hair Product Allergy: A Review of Epidemiology and Management. Cureus. 2024 Apr 11;16(4):e58054. doi: 10.7759/cureus.58054. PMID: 38738072; PMCID: PMC11088418.Mukkanna KS, Stone NM, Ingram JR.Para-phenylenediamine allergy: current perspectives on diagnosis and management. J Asthma Allergy. 2017 Jan 18;10:9-15. doi: 10.2147/JAA.S90265. PMID: 28176912; PMCID: PMC5261844.Coondoo A, Phiske M, Verma S, Lahiri K.Side-effects of topical steroids: A long overdue revisit.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2014;5(4):416-25. doi:10.4103/2229-5178.142483Hitzeman N, Kinnevey C.Topical tacrolimus for eczema.Am Fam Physician.2016;94(7):549-550.
Patel D, Narayana S, Krishnaswamy B.Trends in use of hair dye: a cross-sectional study.Int J Trichology.2013;5(3):140-3. doi:10.4103/0974-7753.125610
Gupta M, Mahajan VK, Mehta KS, Chauhan PS.Hair dye dermatitis and p-phenylenediamine contact sensitivity: A preliminary report.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2015;6(4):241-6. doi:10.4103/2229-5178.160253
Alajaji AN.Hair Product Allergy: A Review of Epidemiology and Management. Cureus.2024 Apr 11;16(4):e58054. doi: 10.7759/cureus.58054. PMID: 38738072; PMCID: PMC11088418.
Medline Plus.Allergic reactions.
National Health Service.Hair dye reactions.
Johns Hopkins.Contact dermatitis.
Mukkanna KS, Stone NM, Ingram JR.Para-phenylenediamine allergy: Current perspectives on diagnosis and management.Journal of Asthma and Allergy. 2017;Volume10:9-15. doi:10.2147/jaa.s90265
Impact of co/cross-reactants on available alternative hair dyes in p-phenylenediamine allergic patients.Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2014;70(5):AB68. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2014.01.283
Alajaji AN.Hair Product Allergy: A Review of Epidemiology and Management. Cureus. 2024 Apr 11;16(4):e58054. doi: 10.7759/cureus.58054. PMID: 38738072; PMCID: PMC11088418.
Mukkanna KS, Stone NM, Ingram JR.Para-phenylenediamine allergy: current perspectives on diagnosis and management. J Asthma Allergy. 2017 Jan 18;10:9-15. doi: 10.2147/JAA.S90265. PMID: 28176912; PMCID: PMC5261844.
Coondoo A, Phiske M, Verma S, Lahiri K.Side-effects of topical steroids: A long overdue revisit.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2014;5(4):416-25. doi:10.4103/2229-5178.142483
Hitzeman N, Kinnevey C.Topical tacrolimus for eczema.Am Fam Physician.2016;94(7):549-550.
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