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Hair dye allergy [the best solutions & alternatives]

Having a hair dye allergy is something you have to be very careful with.

Especially now with the covid, the cases of allergies to dyes have increased a lot, and therefore hairdressers are taking additional preventive measures.

Whether you have always had an allergy to diets, or you have not yet developed it and want to take care of yourself, in this article I will show you the most common allergies and what you can do in each case.

I will also explain the patch test protocols so that you have greater peace of mind, and the differences between various color services.

Let’s learn a little more about allergyes:

Hair dye allergy: what are the options?

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes from my perspective as a hairdresser dealing with clients who have had allergies in the past. This is not a substitute for professional medical opinion, and in any allergy situation you should always consult your doctor first.

Having a hair dye allergy is very uncomfortable and if you are not careful you can even end up in the hospital.

There are times when we are born with it, and there are other cases in which they develop over the years and suddenly appear.

In my experience, there are two types of allergies that are the most common:

Allergy to ammonia in dyes.
Allergy to pigment in dyes.

If you have had it for many years and nothing has ever happened to you, it is very likely that you will not have a problem.

However, if you change the brand of dye or hairdresser, it does not hurt to do a patch test just in case.

On the other hand, if you are just going to apply your first dye, or have not had it in many years, I highly recommend that you do an allergy test first.

How to do a hair dye allergy test

To prevent any type of allergies or reactions, you should always do a test called a patch test.

The patch test consists of taking some of the dye you plan to use, and applying it to the skin behind the ear to see if there is any reaction.

For the patch test to be effective, you should do it 24 – 48 hours before you have your hair done.

It is useless if you do it a couple of weeks before because the body is always changing.

If you are going to go to the hairdresser, ask them to do a patch test of the dye they are going to use.

And if you plan to apply the dye at home, mix in equal parts a little of the tube of dye with the peroxide (the developer liquid), and apply a few drops behind the skin of the ear.

Let your skin absorb the product and do not remove it.

If you don’t feel anything, congratulations! You probably have no problem having you.

But if you feel itchy, irritated or inflamed in the area, do not give your hair and see your doctor.

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Are allergies the same in different color services?

Permanent dyes are the color in which allergy cases occur most frequently.

These dyes are what we normally use to touch up the roots, or change the color of our hair in a homogeneous way.

You should also know that the higher quality the dye, the less ammonia and harmful ingredients it will have, which helps a little to reduce the risks of allergies.

Color techniques such as highlights, for example, do not tend to give many allergies since although bleaching is used (which is more aggressive than dyes), the product does not touch your skin but goes on aluminum, and there are almost never problems. .

On the other hand, hair toners are usually the least allergy friendly, since they are usually semi-permanent dyes without ammonia, and the pigment concentration is very dilute.

In short, what usually gives us the most allergies in order are:

Permanent dyes throughout the hair.
The highlights.
Hair toners.

In each of these colorations, you can make the appropriate patch test.

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Hair color solutions for each type of allergy

Some types of allergies to dye have a solution, and there are products for each case.

Remember anyway to consult with your doctor so that you are 100% safe.

In most cases, allergies are to ammonia in dyes.

And today there are many ammonia-free dyes with which you can have your hair in beautiful colors without risk.

I will always advise you to avoid having it without having done the allergy test first, even in the dyes without ammonia.

Avoid buying a box of “ammonia-free” dye at the supermarket and go to your hairdresser to use a professional, high-quality ammonia-free dye.

On the other hand, people who have an allergy to dye pigment have a slightly more complicated case, and usually no dye (even without ammonia) suits them.

Sadly in this case the best solution would be not to have hair, or at least nothing near the roots of your scalp.

Or you can also try henna dyes, you will not have the same choice of colors as in normal dyes, but at least you can give your hair a little life without allergies.

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