Man’s Shocking Reaction to Hair Dye Leaves Him with ‘Balloon Head’
Ryan Brigg, a 27-year-old from Lancashire, experienced a terrifying allergic reaction to hair dye, resulting in his head swelling to cartoonish proportions. The reaction was so severe that his girlfriend couldn’t bear to look at him.
Ryan’s ordeal began innocuously enough on July 27. During a visit to his mother’s house, she had bought him some black hair dye to cover up a few new grey hairs. Without realizing the importance of a patch test, Ryan applied the dye to his scalp, assuming that the burning sensation he felt was normal. Little did he know, this was the beginning of a harrowing experience.
The morning after applying the dye, Ryan woke up to find a scaly rash developing around his hairline. He brushed it off and headed to work as usual. However, as the day progressed, his face began to swell, leaving him with an incredibly itchy and uncomfortable “balloon head.” His colleagues, alarmed by his appearance, urged him to seek medical attention immediately.
Ryan went to the hospital, but the initial visit did not provide much relief. He was told to return the next day if his condition worsened. By the following morning, his situation had escalated dramatically. His face had ballooned to the point where he couldn’t see out of one eye. In a state of panic, Ryan called emergency services and was taken to the hospital by ambulance.
Doctors quickly identified the cause of Ryan’s reaction: paraphenylenediamine (PPD), a chemical commonly found in hair dyes. The NHS website advises users to always conduct a patch test before using any permanent or semi-permanent hair dye, even if it’s a regular brand. This precaution is crucial to prevent allergic reactions like the one Ryan experienced.
Reflecting on the incident, Ryan admitted he had no idea a patch test was necessary. “I should have done a patch test really, but I didn’t know that you had to do that. I applied the dye, and it did burn a little bit, but I thought that’s what it does. Obviously, it wasn’t.”
Ryan’s condition continued to deteriorate throughout the day. “The day after I woke up with a tiny bit of a rash. It wasn’t that bad, but throughout the day, my head started expanding. I was at work, and it just escalated from there. My colleagues said, ‘You need to get to the hospital.'”
After being sent home from the hospital with medication, Ryan’s girlfriend was stunned by his appearance. “When I looked in the mirror that morning, I didn’t know what to think. I rang 111 and got an ambulance to come and get me as I obviously couldn’t drive because I couldn’t see. They said it was an allergic reaction to PPD, which is in the chemicals of the hair dye.”
Ryan spent about 13 hours in the hospital and was discharged at around 3 a.m. However, he left without the necessary medication because the hospital didn’t have it in stock. The next day, his girlfriend had to pick up the tablets from the pharmacy as Ryan was still unable to see.
Despite the ordeal, Ryan’s condition has since improved. “It’s fully gone now. My scalp is full of yellow and green scabs, but my face has gone normal now.” However, he has been left with lasting reminders of his allergic reaction and is now on a mission to warn others about the importance of patch tests.
Ryan emphasized the importance of this precaution: “I’m glad it’s over now, but definitely do a patch test, one million percent. That’s why they kept me in the hospital because if it had gone down to my neck, it could have started to close my airways up.”
Ryan’s experience serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers of hair dye allergies. The NHS website and various health experts stress the importance of patch tests to avoid severe allergic reactions. Even if you have used a particular hair dye before, it’s crucial to perform a patch test every time to ensure you don’t develop a reaction.
Ryan’s case highlights the unpredictability and severity of allergic reactions. His message is clear: always perform a patch test before using hair dye, regardless of how familiar you are with the product. This simple step could prevent a painful and potentially life-threatening reaction.
As Ryan recovers from his ordeal, he hopes his story will encourage others to take necessary precautions. His experience underscores the importance of awareness and caution when using hair products that contain chemicals like PPD.
Source: Metro