Hair dye making your head sting

I've heard it's possible to develop an allergic reaction to things even if you've had no problem with them before sorry. The manufacturers could also have changed the ingredients slightly. Could you swap to another brand of hair dye? I've found that some make my head itch and sting a lot when I put it on and others aren't as bad, but I don't know what it is that I'm reacting to.

Thanks, Daffy. The top of my head is still a bit tender where it was stinging, I shouldn't have to dye it for a while as will use root touch ups for the next 8 weeks or so, but will try a different one afterwards making sure I test it first.

I simply can't go au naturel, I look old enough as it is ?

Ouch. Think similar happened to wonky donkey, no?

Do a strand test before you used a new one dude. Don't want you swelling up like a balloon.

Is La Psycho a hairdresser? Maybe she can tell you what ingredients to look out for on the dye packets that people most commonly react to (and tell me too!).

Crikey, I'll never pull all of TT looking like a ribena berry (yes all of them) ?

Daffy, I'm due a cut in two weeks so will speak to my hairdresser too and let you know what she says.

Poor possible balloon head hole ?

Have you been in the sun recently? Sans hat?

My head stings with most dyes tbh... I'm stoopid and carry on with them as my ridiculously sensitive skin will react to plain water given half the chance.

Absolutely WSS.

I dyed my hair myself for years and years using the same brand then ended up with classic allergy face swelling up, eyes starting to close etc.. Like you I rinsed off immediately. I'm used to allergy flare ups though, have asthma and eczema and my skin is prone to erupt at unknown things , so popped an antihistamine down and the symptoms went with it.

This coincided with me realising that i'd actually gone beyond home grey cover up anyway (was crap at it and grey was too widespread) so started going to the hairdresser. I've been having my hair dyed professionally now for three years. Never had any problems..... until recently. I wanted to add a little red colour mix into my usual colour. Even when it was being applied I could feel my scalp burning, I (stupidly) didn't say anything until all the colour was applied and I was left for it too take. I lasted about 5 minutes before grabbing my hairdresser and telling her to rinse off NOW.

We can only conclude that there was some component in the new dye that didn't agree with me. Fortunately no damage done to my hair.

Not really. am Irish and v pale so try to stay indoors as much as possible. Having said that, I was out shopping late morning for a couple of hours and remember thinking my head felt very hot.

Pmsl @ water making your skin react, I feel your pain ?

Oh berlimey, time to re-mortgage then ?

Thanks all ?

My hair salon has a 'frequent visitor' discount fortunately.

If i'm having root touch up only i'm £27 only (they throw in fringe trim free) as opposed to the usual £60 + for full head dye and cut and finish.

I usually go every 3-4 weeks on a Thursday after work, scrape my wet hair into a pony tail and leg it back to the car hoping that i'm not spotted by anyone ?

Every 10 weeks or so I get them to pull the colour through the length of my hair and give it a good trim.

It's an expense I could well do without but while i'll happily shop in primark and new look I cannot, cannot be doing with grey roots.

I hate the 3rd to 4th week waiting for my appointment when it is clear to the world that i'm 100% grey ?

I'll be dyeing mine in the morning and am fully expecting it to sting like crazy because the patch of psoriasis I have just about my hairline at the back is playing up at the moment. I'm not prepared to continue with nearly half a centimetre of grey roots though so I shall bravely face the pain and soldier on. ? Strangely, although it stings at the time the ammonia must do something to the psoriasis because it usually calms down after dyeing.

I hate the summer months. Not only do I not cope well with this insufferable heat (Celtic blood and probably bluey-white complexion like HH) but my hair grows incredibly quickly. It's less than 3 weeks since I last did my roots and they've sprouted most heinously again. Hmph. I have never wanted to be blonde but I do envy the fact that grey is not so obvious for the fair-haired amongst you.

I've dyed my hair for as long as I can remember and it's usually been fine but I went to the hairdressers once to get it done and my scalp got really stingy/itchy so the hairdresser washed it off, she had no answer for why it happened. Odd.

I always have a fear that my head is going to swell up like that girl on Charlie on the Chocolate Factory so whenever it gets uncomfortable it comes off. Fortunately it only really happened that once.

Get Excel10 next time, it lasts so much longer, just make sure you get the right colour ?

This happened to me and then when I dyed my hair again the reaction was much worse, horrible rash on my neck and shoulders etc. It is possible to develop a reaction to PPD which is in almost every hair dye. Apparently it can be worse if you have ever had a henna tattoo done.

permanent dark hair dye is about 2% PPD (paraphenylenediamine) the application of a ‘Black’ henna tattoo is >28% PPD mixed with the henna. This amount of chemical in some cases will react within 24 hours, or not at all, but lays dormant until the body has been exposed over time; once sensitised its for life.

I am waiting for a screening test from trichocare.co.uk as they do a range of PPD free dyes.

Oooh, be careful dude. I dyed my hair for years and suddenly had a terrible reaction to PPD - swollen head, weeping scalp, black eyes - I ended up in hospital and I can never dye my hair again now. It started with an itchy, stingy head and then really came on the next day. I hope you're OK today mate.

(My hairdresser friend said that the only option is to have your hair dyed in foils so that it doesn't touch your scalp - as I've not got any grey I'm not going to bother yet!)

Mrs Winkle, given that your reaction was so severe have you had any reactions to other items with PPD in them? This is the list I was given by my local dermatology dept

I'm fine, never had a reaction since - though I don't really come into contact with those things. Thining about it, sometimes when I wear jeands I get really itchy thighs - I wonder if that might be linked...

Am fine today, but my head is still a little tender. Will speak to the colourist at my salon next time I go, maybe foils are the way forward.

Thanks, lovelies xx