What to do if a client is allergic to paint?

BES TM technologist Tatyana Solomonova shared conclusions from personal experience.

Recently, in the practice of colorists, cases of an allergic reaction in a client during coloring have become more frequent. There may be various reasons for this. There are clients who have dyed their hair for a long time and have not encountered an allergy problem, but once again, when they came to the hairdresser, they began to smell acutely the smell of ammonia, the scalp began to itch and burn, and the skin of the hands, face and neck became covered with red spots , which are easy to notice. With a severe allergic reaction, such spots spread throughout the body.

One of the causes of allergies may be the PPD component (parinylenediamine) - this is an artificial primary pigment that is responsible for the depth and durability of color. Accordingly, the darker the shade, the higher the PPD content. The component is very toxic; in an excessive ratio it can lead to irreversible consequences, but in professional hair dyes this indicator fluctuates within normal limits and has a very small percentage of content. Despite this, it can still cause allergies. Also, ammonia, resorcinol, ethanolamine, persulfates and even some care components of the dye (berries, oils or beeswax) can cause an allergic reaction.

What should professionals do when working with latent allergies?

That is, with clients who have never encountered such a problem and are experiencing such an allergy for the first time. The first and most important thing for the master is diagnostics. What does it consist of?

• Ask your client if he or she is allergic to dyes or any component;

• Always give a client an allergy test if the client has not noticed anything like this before. The test must be carried out 48 hours before staining. Apply a small amount of dye behind the ear and on the inside of the elbow or wrist. In case of severe itching and redness, as well as damaged scalp, eczema, psoriasis and previously identified allergic reactions to the dye, coloring is not recommended;

Pay attention to the scalp; if it is red, flaky, or, on the contrary, damp, which happens in people with hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), then such a client may have an allergic reaction.

• Examine the skin around the hairline and behind the ears, there may also be redness there. People prone to an allergic reaction generally have thin, light skin and nearby blood vessels (in this case, check the skin for mechanical damage - scratches, wounds).
In order to protect the client and yourself, during coloring, use protective creams and fluids to protect the scalp; such products are available in almost every brand. Encourage the client to take an antihistamine before coloring. If this is a primary client and you see redness of the skin, the appearance of red spots during the dyeing process itself, and there is also tearing and runny nose, then also suggest taking an antihistamine.

However, if the client feels unwell or has trouble breathing, immediately wash off the dye and call an ambulance.