Woman who claims she almost died from a severe allergic reaction to hair dye reveals shocking images showing how her head almost DOUBLED in size
- Parisian student , Estelle, purchased an at-home hair dye from a supermarket
- She suffered a reaction to the chemical PPD found in most hair dyes
- Her head swelled from 56 to 63cm and she was struggling to breathe
- Wants to warn others about dangers of using at-home hair dyes
A woman claims that she almost died after an allergic reaction to a hair dye left her struggling to breathe after her head doubled in size.
Estelle, 19, an English student from Paris, shared the horrifying result of the at-home hair dye online which was caused by the chemical PPD (Paraphenylenediamin) - regularly found in the beauty product.
She had purchased the dye at a local supermarket in the area of Val-de-Marne earlier this month and applied at home according to the packet's instructions.
While she had followed the patch test as issued on the packet, she waited just 30 minutes rather than the recommended 48 hours.
Estelle, a 19-year-old English student from Paris, saw her head swell to double its size after using an at-home hair dye containing PPD
She had bought the dye from a local supermarket and although she did a patch test, she left it on for just 30 minutes as opposed to the 48 hour guideline
Almost immediately Estelle noticed irritation on her scalp which quickly began to swell and used antihistamines under medical advice.
But the following morning Estelle found that her condition had worsened with her head measuring 63cm, almost double the average 56cm.
Speaking to Le Parisien the student said: 'I could not breathe, I had a light bulb head.'
Almost immediately she noticed her scalp beginning to itch and swell and attempted to treat it with antihistamines under doctors' advice
However, when she awoke the next morning she found that her head had swollen to twice its normal size then measuring at 63cm, almost double the average 56cm
She was rushed to the A&E where her tongue continued to swell, and after she was given an injection of adrenaline and kept in over night.
Luckily she has been able to make a full recovery though says she can still see the outlines of the swelling, and admits she made a 'mistake' when it came to her patch test and wants to warn others against the dangers of PPD.
She told the paper: 'I almost died, I do not want it to happen to others.'
Colouring products contain a variety of chemicals but PPD is the prime cause of allergic reaction to hair dye.
She was rushed to A&E where she was given an injection of adrenaline and kept in overnight
Estelle has since made a full recovery but wants to warn others about the dangers of PPD
It is needed for most shades of permanent colour, especially dark shades.
There is a strict limit on the concentration of PPD at a maximum of 2 per cent in any substance applied to the hair. The dye used by Julie McCabe had a 1 per cent strength.
There must also be clear warnings and usage instructions on all packaging.
PPD is often used illegally in black henna tattoos offered at tourist spots. The inquest heard Mrs McCabe had a reaction from such a tattoo on holiday in Dubai in 2007.
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