Beauty can be a dangerous business and a French teenager recently realised that the hard way. 19-year-old Estelle used a dark coloured hair dye called Paraphenylenediamine (PPD) on her head. But along with dark hair she ended up having a severe reaction to the substance which caused her forehead to swell up several sizes.
The teenager told a French daily Le Parisienne that the swelling began soon after she applied the substance. Tough she used the required amount, Estelle said her forehead had grown by over 5 centimeters next morning.
The teenager was rushed to the hospital where she was administered a shot of adrenaline. Such a reaction could be very dangerous as it can cause serious tissue damage, respiratory problems or renal failure. According to a paper published in National Center for Biotechnology Information, PPD poisoning is a rare phenomenon in the West, however it is a relevant problem in countries like East Africa, Middle Eastern countries as well as the Indian subcontinent. As different people react differently to chemically formulated products, it is important to read the usage instructions and composition of the hair dye properly and conduct a patch test before applying a new product to one's skin or scalp.
PPD is an active chemical in most hair darkening dyes including 'henna'. Several organisations and individuals have in the past raised their voice against PPD poisoning. This is not the first time someone has reported severe injuries caused by hair dye. In 2017, 24-year-old Gemma Wiliams reported burns caused by a hair dye. Her eyes were glued shut, her forehead was charred and she had secretions on her ears.