Teen left ‘looking like a monster’ after hair dye reaction caused her face to double in size – now she colours her locks with COFFEE
Georgina Paraskeva, 18, from Bristol, told how her face swelled up after she used the hair dye
A TEEN has revealed an allergic reaction to black hair dye left her looking "like a monster".
Horrifying 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 for two days and believes she’s lucky to be alive after suffering a severe allergic reaction to paraphenylenediamine (PPD) - a chemical commonly 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.
Georgina, 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."
She continued: “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.”
Georgina was refreshing her hair colour using the Clairol black hair dye on November 18 - 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 Georgina 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.
Georgina’s desperate mum 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.
Georgina said: “My whole family use Nice ‘n’ Easy and I’ve used it a few times before with no problems.
“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 an antihistamine and steroid prescription, Georgina had to be cared for by her mum and partner as her vision was still affected for a few days.
Three months on Georgina now avoids chemical hair dyes and uses coffee granules to tint her brunette locks.
Georgina 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.
What caused Georgina's reaction?
Georgina was affected by paraphenylenediamine (PPD) which is found in 90 per cent of hair dyes, and is widely considered to be safe.
But for some, paraphenylenediamine can cause serious reactions.
It is the prime cause of allergic reaction to hair dye and is needed for most shades of permanent colour, especially dark shades.
According to the NHS, hair dyes containing PPD are safe to use, providing safety instructions are followed.
There is a strict limit on PPD concentration at a maximum of two per cent and the chemical is banned in other cosmetics.
The chemical, abbreviated to PPD, is also used in high concentrations in the popular black henna tattoos.
“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.”
WE PAY FOR YOUR STORIES!
Fabulous Online is always on the lookout for jaw-dropping, tear-jerking and heart-wrenching stories to feature.
Join our Facebook group or email us to make £££s by sharing your story.
MOST READ IN FABULOUS
A woman was left with severely swollen face after suffering allergic reaction to hair dye.
Meanwhile, a mum who tried to dye her hair ‘unicorn’ colours is now BALD after £5 bleach left her with severe scalp burns.