A fun approach to update your appearance, convey your personality, or just hide those unwelcome greys is to change your hair colour. From vivid reds to subdued browns, the great range of hair colour choices now lets one constantly experiment. Still, you have to give safety top priority even amid the thrill of changing your tresses. The hair colour patch test is one easy but often missed step that can make all the difference between a terrible allergic response and a great new look.
Though usually safe, hair colour has a complicated chemical composition. Although these compounds—including ammonia, resorcinol, and paraphenylenediamine (PPD)—are necessary for the intended colour change—they can also cause allergic reactions in some people. Mild stinging and redness to severe swelling, blistering, and even anaphylaxis—a potentially fatal allergic reaction—are among the range of symptoms some people experience.
Before using a certain hair color product to your whole scalp, you want to find any possible allergies to it by means of a hair colour patch test. This preventive approach lets you evaluate your susceptibility to the chemicals in the hair colour and prevent a maybe unpleasant, even deadly, experience.
Why is Patch Testing Hair Colours so Crucially Important?
Although a strong allergic reaction to hair colour is somewhat rare, the effects can be rather major. A minor reaction could cause an inflamed, itchy scalp; a more severe reaction might produce:
Redness, swelling, itching, and scalp and surrounding skin blisters define the most often occurring allergic reaction to hair color—contact dermatitis.
Certain compounds in hair colour can burn the scalp, resulting in pain, redness, and perhaps hair loss.
Should hair colour come into touch with the eyes, it might irritate them, redness can result, and even temporary vision problems could follow.
In sensitive people, inhaling the fumes from hair colour might set off asthma episodes or other respiratory difficulties.
Rare but potentially fatal, anaphylaxis can include trouble breathing, throat swelling, and a dip in blood pressure.
The hair colour patch test will help you greatly lower your chance of having these negative responses. It lets you spot a possible allergy before it becomes a more major medical problem. The possible pain and medical costs involved in managing an allergic reaction much exceed the little time and effort needed for a patch test.
How would one do a hair colour patch test?
Doing a hair colour patch test is an easy and direct technique. Use these guidelines to guarantee exact findings:
Choose a usually hidden part of skin, such behind the ear or the inside elbow, then cleanse a little portion of it. Use water and mild soap to clean the area; then, pat dry.
Get ready the mixture of hair colour. Following manufacturer directions, mix a little quantity of the hair colour product. Use exactly the same developer and colour you intend to apply for your full hair colour.
Apply a tiny bit of the hair colour mixture to the cleaned-up section of skin. Cover the area with a little plastic wrap piece or bandage.
Wait: Spend 48 hours undisturbed leaving the patch test intact. This is the advised period of time to let any possible allergic reactions to flourish.
After 48 hours take off the bandage and closely inspect the area. Search for any symptoms like redness, swelling, stinging, blistering, or burning. Should you get any of these symptoms, avoid using the hair colour product. For additional evaluation, see a dermatologist or allergist.
If you use several hair colour products—such as a base colour and highlights—do independent patch tests for each one.
Other than the Patch Test:
Every time you colour your hair, even if you have past used a specific hair colour product without any problems, you should do a patch test. Your chemical sensitivity changes with time; even a small modification in the hair colour mixture can set off a reaction.
Apart from patch testing, always use hair colour according to product recommendations exactly. To reduce your hand exposure to fumes, wear gloves; also, make sure the space has enough ventilation. If you have any odd symptoms—such as itching, burning, or trouble breathing—during or after hair colour application— rinse the product out right away and, if needed, visit a doctor.
In the end, wearing hair colour should always give safety top priority. A basic but vital step that will save you from possible allergic reactions and guarantee a good and fun hair colouring experience is the hair colour patch test. Don’t undervalue the importance of this preventative action; it will help you save a lot of pain and guarantee that your path to brilliant, natural-looking hair colour is a safe and effective one.
