PPD - THE INCONVENIENT TRUTH

Hair dressers, doctors, and laymen alike don't always know all of the truths about this hidden deadly allergy. The amount of miss-information far exceeds the amount of correct information. I read on message boards about hairdressers saying that box home color is the culprit, when the diamines in the color that ALL of us use is the same thing. I have a PPD free salon, and I still have clients that become reactive to TDS, or Toluene-Diamine Sulfate.

Anaphylactic shock

Statistics say that the rate of allergies to hair color have been relatively steady, around 6%. Since I have been specializing in this for the past 13 years, the majority of people I hear from are self diagnosed, and can not find doctors to treat them. I suspect that these numbers would change dramatically if there was proper diagnosis and documentation. This also should note that PPD was voted as the number one allergen in the U.S, in 2006 by the American Contact Dermatitis Society.

Anaphylactic shock

 Why is this so important? I hear from hairdressers, "No one has ever even heard of PPD, or anyone who is allergic, so why be concerned?" Look at the numbers, which seem to grow exponentially. The manufacturers of hair color don't want you to know these facts.  In 1950, 7% of the adult female population in the U.S. admitted to coloring their hair. So, according to the National U.S. Census Department, there were about 60 million adult women. 7% of that would equal 4,200,000. There has been approximately a  6% rate of allergy to PPD, making the number of allergies to PPD round about 252,000 in 1950. -Remember, once allergic, always allergic! The same statistics state that there were 73 million adult women in 2013, and 75% of them admitted to coloring their hair. This only includes women above 18, so no younger teens, and no men are included in these numbers. Large companies, like P&G, or Loreal continue to sweep these stats under the rug, and try to make them seem immaterial. If you looked like these photos, and could not touch hair color again, would you believe that? The percentages of the allergic will always continue to accumulate, as once you become allergic, you are ALLERGIC FOREVER. Medical journals ALL say, more education is needed. If they PROPERLY taught the symptoms in hair school, and did updates for ALL licensed hairdressers, maybe we could save some people from a lot of pain and suffering. A little prevention is worth a POUND of cure.

Systemic and topical

The symptoms that start begin with itching. How many of us colorists have had a client that ask for something to scratch their scalp with? HAIR COLOR DOESN'T ITCH! -Of course, there is the exception of some very high lift tints, and liquid oil bleaches. The next sign is eczema on the eye lids. Not everyone will get these signs. Some people go right into anaphylactic shock. If they have a compromised airway, they will dye. PERIOD. They can't talk to call 911, if they can, they may not make it by the time the ambulance gets there.

The worst eye eczema I've ever seen

Why don't we patch test? Because it is like preparing your client to have the allergy. You CAN NOT REACT  on your first application. Only your second. This is proven chemically, so if there is a doctor who would like to challenge me, I will gladly take out medical journals to prove this. This is also what large color companies stand behind when they are sued by loved ones when people die. People love to say, well, that just doesn't happen. IT DOES. IT HAS, AND IT WILL AGAIN. People have died. Jackie Kennedy Onassis died from Lymphatic cancer, directly related to coloring her hair. Her doctors came out and said this, but finding information about this is difficult. It gets scrubbed from the web as soon as it pops up. Two women in England died from this. One 17 year old died from anaphylactic shock, and the other went from anaphylactic shock to a coma, and died a year later. She was a young mother, and a real estate agent.

Patch testing that can go wrong. Local only

Chemists don't know why some people react, or when they will react. They can react the second exposure, or the thousandth exposure. There is no rhyme or reason. They have spent a lot of money and time trying to figure this out. If I find out anything, I will post it. They are getting closer, From what I'm reading, they are finding new information all the time. It might not be a cure, but at this point, a WHY is a start.

Systemic

Systemic

There are two different kinds of reactions. One is systemic, one is external. Systemic is when you have it going through your blood stream, you will have to get to the ER. External is when you have itching, redness, or anything minor that is localized.


Systemic

Local, hopefully

If you want more information, I offer private paid consults for clients by e-mail that are $60 and up. I offer PPD classes for salons, $250 plus $25 per person to cover workbooks. (I have a 5 person minimum, plus accommodations and travel) The class can be one hour to three hours, depending on how many people are attending, and the time that's available. (Hands on is extra)


I hope you are getting less snow that Syracuse, NY has been! Have a great day,
Gina
ginamarietaro@gmail.com