Gran’s head ballooned and skin erupted in rash after severe hair dye reaction

A gran said she was left temporarily blinded and red welts erupted over her skin after a horrific allergic reaction to hair dye.

Jessie Sullivan, 43, said she’ll never dye her hair again after using the Schwarzkopf Live dye in the ‘cosmic blue’ shade on March 12.

The school cook said she’d previously used the product every four months for years without any issues, although the packet she used this time expired last year.

But the day after dying her hair she said she woke up with a face which had ‘ballooned’.

Jessie, from Beckenham in south London, said: ‘The itching came first then the swelling and my tongue felt funny. I woke up the next day and couldn’t open my eyes.

‘When I looked in the mirror, I was absolutely devastated. I went to the doctors to get some antibiotics and steroids.

‘They knew it was an allergic reaction but the day after, I couldn’t even take my daughter to school and I couldn’t physically go to work.

‘I called the doctors to say my tongue really hurt and it just went blank.

‘I went into anaphylactic shock and my throat was swelling so the paramedics came and I was given a shot of adrenaline.

‘They blue-lighted me to hospital and said if I went into shock again it wouldn’t be great.’

At the Princess Royal University Hospital, in Orpington, Jessie was given adrenaline and put on a trip of steroids, antibiotics and pain medication.

She was given a special shampoo but her face was left swollen and she was forced to take time off work.

Jessie has shared her story and shocking photos to warn others of the importance of doing a patch test every time they dye their hair.

‘It’s the colour I normally use and I’ve never had a problem with it. I’ve been using it for years which is why I didn’t do a patch test,’ she added.

‘It said on the box that it expired in 2021 but it still shouldn’t have done that, it shouldn’t have nearly killed me.

‘It’s been doctors, doctors, doctors. I’ll never dye my hair again. I’m going to grow old gracefully. I’ll never touch it again.’

The mum-of-four opened the front door a few days after leaving hospital to someone she’d sold a high chair to – without previously warning them of her allergic reaction.

‘A couple of days later I sold a high chair to a woman and she came to the door [to collect it],’ Jessie said.

‘I was so used to my eyelids being swollen and sore that I completely forgot and both of the two children with her just screamed.

‘I said, “Oh my god, I’m so sorry,” and I gave them the high chair for free.’

Jessie was originally dying her hair ready for her grandson’s birthday party but ended up having to wear a bandana.

‘My skin on my head and neck is very crusty,’ she said.

‘It’s not nice at all, I’m still really sore. I’m still in a bad way but it’s manageable.

‘I had to wear a bandana to my grandson’s birthday party which hurt. It was burning the hell out of me but I couldn’t go to a kid’s party like that.

‘It’s my birthday as well so it’s nice to do your hair and get dressed up and it’s something to do when the kids go to their dad’s.’

Schwarzkopf has since urged all users to do allergy tests before using the hair dye every single time.

‘We were sorry to hear about Jessie Sullivan’s experience and wish her a speedy recovery,’ a spokesperson added.

‘We would also ask her to contact us so that we can offer expert help to identify the cause of her reaction.

‘We urge everyone to read the instructions and do an allergy alert test before using hair colour, even if they have used the brand or specific colour before, as allergies can build up over time.’

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