Teenager, 18, is rushed to hospital after allergic reaction to a hair dye causes her face to swell to double its size

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A teenager was rushed to hospital after suffering an allergic reaction to hair dye so severe she was blinded for two days and left looking 'like a monster'.

Shocking photos show how Georgina Paraskeva's face ballooned to double its size after reportedly using the Clairol Nice 'N Easy hair dye last November.

The 18-year-old, who said she was temporarily blinded, believes she is lucky to be alive after suffering the allergic reaction to Paraphenylenediamine (PPD) - a chemical found in dark hair dyes.

A teenager was rushed to hospital after suffering an allergic reaction to hair dye that was so severe she was blinded for two days and left looking 'like a monster'. Shocking photos show how Georgina Paraskeva's face ballooned to double its size after reportedly dying her hair using the Clairol Nice 'N Easy product last November

The 18-year-old said she was temporarily blinded believes she's lucky to be alive after suffering the allergic reaction to Paraphenylenediamine (PPD) - a chemical found in dark hair dyes

The online jewellery store owner is now speaking out about her terrifying experience to ensure other people know of the potential risks and are aware of alternatives

The online jewellery store owner is now speaking out about her terrifying experience to ensure other people know of the potential risks and are aware of alternatives.

Miss Paraskeva, from Bristol, said: 'It was honestly the most horrific experience of my life.

'Looking back at the pictures now is just horrible, my head doubled in size and I looked like a monster.

'It felt horrible and made me feel like I had zero confidence. I hated going out and felt really self-conscious and like people were staring at me.

'I made the conscious decision to stay inside as I hated going outside and feeling like people were looking at me, it was awful.'

Miss Paraskeva was refreshing her hair colour using the Clairol black hair dye on November 18th - a product she'd previously used with no problem - and claims her face and scalp suffered no adverse reaction.

Miss Paraskeva, from Bristol, said: 'It was honestly the most horrific experience of my life. Looking back at the pictures now is just horrible, my head doubled in size and I looked like a monster'

Miss Paraskeva was refreshing her hair colour using the Clairol black hair dye on November 18th - a product she'd previously used with no problem - and claims her face and scalp suffered no adverse reaction

However the following evening during a romantic meal with partner Josh Cox, 21, she said her head began to feel really hot and itchy.

Over the next two days her face slowly started to balloon so panicked Miss Paraskeva rang 111 where an operator advised taking an antihistamine to combat the swelling.

After visiting her GP the following day and receiving cream to soothe her scorched and blistered skin her face continued to swell so much so her eyelids closed over leaving her unable to see.

Miss Paraskeva's desperate mum bakery worker June Kellett, 54, rang for an ambulance on the Friday and she was rushed to Southmead Hospital where she was hooked up to a drip.

Miss Paraskeva said: 'My whole family use Nice 'N Easy and I've used it a few times before with no problems.

However the following evening during a romantic meal with partner Josh Cox, 21, she said her head began to feel really hot and itchy. Over the next two days her face slowly started to balloon so panicked Miss Paraskeva rang 111 where an operator advised taking an antihistamine to combat the swelling

After being discharged from hospital with a antihistamine and steroid prescription, Miss Paraskeva had to be cared for by her mum and partner as her vision was still affected for a few days

'That evening my head was absolutely fine but it was when I went out in the evening the following day my whole head was hot and seriously itchy.

'I had blisters on my scalp and the skin on my hairline was really crispy.

'Later that week the swelling got worse and when my eyes started to swell up and I couldn't open them, that's when I felt really panicked.

'When I went to the hospital it felt like I had glass in my eyes and I went full-on blind. I couldn't see a thing for two days, it was horrible.'

After being discharged from hospital with a antihistamine and steroid prescription, Miss Paraskeva had to be cared for by her mum and partner as her vision was still affected for a few days.

Three months on Miss Paraskeva now avoids chemical hair dyes and uses coffee granules to tint her brunette locks.

Miss Paraskeva said: 'I've started using natural remedies on my hair now and use coffee granules to colour it, it works really well.

'I want people to be aware that things like this can and do actually happen.

'A lot of people don't realise what's in hair dye and that it can be really dangerous, I'm really lucky and super grateful that it didn't escalate.

'Since this happened I've read up on it and I could have permanently lost my eyesight and it's scary to see that people have died from it.

'I'm also a lot more cautious about the things I use on my skin and I just make sure I read everything and make sure it contains natural ingredients.'

A Clairol spokesperson said: 'The safety of the people who use our products is our first and most important priority, so we were very concerned to hear about Ms Paraskeva's experience with Nice'n Easy No Ammonia when we were first made aware of the incident last November.

'Unfortunately we were unable to get in touch with Ms Paraskeva at the time.

'Allergic reactions are very rare and hair colourants are extensively researched to ensure they are safe when used as directed and it is imperative patch tests are conducted at least 48 hours before each colouring occasion.

'Details of how to perform this test are included with each of our products to help minimise risk to consumers. We remain happy to discuss the matter with Ms Paraskeva should she wish to contact us on our customer helpline.'