Ryan Briggs, from Lancashire, UK, found out the hard way that hair dye can sometimes have an adverse effect on people. The 27-year-old noticed after applying black hair dye to his head to cover up some gray strands that he began to develop a rash. From there, things just got worse, with his head nearly doubling in size. Seeking medical aid, Briggs was told by doctors that he would have to have to take daily medication for nearly a month to bring the incredible swelling under control. In retrospect, Briggs said he should have followed the directions on the box and tested the dye on a small patch of skin first. The incident has left Briggs with scabs across his scalp, and now he’s warning others to always do a patch test first. The Department of Health and Human Services warns that many permanent and some semi-permanent hair dyes contain paraphenylenediamine, which is a known irritant and allergen. The levels are typically higher in darker dyes.
