19-YEAR-OLD LEFT WITH A SWOLLEN HEAD AFTER SUFFERING ALLERGIC REACTION TO HAIR DYE

A 19-year-old student from Paris said her head swelled up to almost double its original size after suffering a near-fatal allergic reaction to a hair dye. The student, identified as Estelle, shared a number of horrifying pictures to warn others of the side-effects and reactions of DIY (Do it yourself) hair dye.

Estelle told French publication Le Parisien that her forehead had doubled in volume like a lightbulb after applying the product.

Apparently, she had bought the product to darken her hair, however, she suffered a severe allergic reaction due to one of its ingredients, as per the French newspaper report. As soon as she applied it, she felt something was wrong as her scalp began to tingle.

The hair dye contained the chemical PPD (paraphenylenediamine), which is usually found in some hair dyes and can cause serious allergic reactions. A 2012 case study published in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences reported that severe PPD allergies can lead to other serious complications like renal failure and respiratory failure.

“I could not breathe, I had a lightbulb head. I almost died, I do not want it to happen to others," she was quoted as saying.

Things took an ugly turn, when her scalp began to swell, but she took some medicines and applied a cream before going to the bed. But the next morning she woke up to a much worse situation and saw her swollen head.