Hair dye poisoning
Hair tint poisoningHair dye poisoning occurs when someone swallows dye or tint used to color hair.
This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call the local emergency number (such as 911), or the local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.
Poisonous Ingredient
Different types of hair dye contain different harmful ingredients.
The harmful ingredients in permanent dyes are:
- Naphthylamine
- Other aromatic amino compounds
- Phenylenediamines
- Toluene diamines
The harmful ingredients in temporary dyes may include:
- Arsenic
- Bismuth
- Denatured alcohol
- Lead (lead poisoning)
Lead poisoning
Lead is a very strong poison. When a person swallows an object that has lead in it or breathes in lead dust, some of the poison can stay in the body...
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Mercury
This article discusses poisoning from mercury. This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If...
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- Silver
Hair dyes may contain other harmful ingredients.
Where Found
Various hair dyes contain these ingredients.
Symptoms
Symptoms of hair dye poisoning include:
- Abdominal pain
Abdominal pain
Abdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Blurred vision
- Breathing difficulty
- Burning pain in the throat
- Burns to the eye, redness, and tearing
- Collapse
Collapse
Fainting is a brief loss of consciousness due to a drop in blood flow to the brain. The episode most often lasts less than a couple of minutes and y...
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Coma
Decreased alertness is a state of reduced awareness and is often a serious condition. A coma is the most severe state of decreased alertness from whi...
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- Low blood pressure
Low blood pressure
Low blood pressure occurs when blood pressure is much lower than normal. This means the heart, brain, and other parts of the body may not get enough...
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Inability to walk normally
Walking abnormalities can be caused by many different types of problems. Problems with the joints, (such as arthritis), bones (such as deformities),...
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No urine output
Decreased urine output means that you produce less urine than normal. Most adults make at least 500 milliliters of urine in 24 hours (a little over ...
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- Slurred speech
- Stupor
Stupor
Decreased alertness is a state of reduced awareness and is often a serious condition. A coma is the most severe state of decreased alertness from whi...
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Vomiting
Nausea is feeling an urge to vomit. It is often called "being sick to your stomach. "Vomiting or throwing-up forces the contents of the stomach up t...
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Home Care
Seek medical help right away. DO NOT make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to. If the chemical is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.
If the person swallowed the hair dye, give them water or milk right away, unless a provider tells you not to. DO NOT give anything to drink if the person has symptoms that make it hard to swallow. These include:
- Vomiting
- Convulsions
- A decreased level of alertness
Before Calling Emergency
Have this information ready:
- Person's age, weight, and condition
- Name of the product (ingredients and strength, if known)
- Time it was swallowed
- Amount swallowed
Poison Control
Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.
Poison control center
For a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleThis is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
What to Expect at the Emergency Room
Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.
The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated.
The person may receive:
- Blood and urine tests.
- Breathing support, including a tube through the mouth into the lungs, and a breathing machine (ventilator).
- Chest x-ray.
- ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing).
- Endoscopy: camera placed down the throat to look for burns in the esophagus and the stomach.
- Laxatives.
- Fluids through a vein (by IV).
- Medicines to treat the effects of the poison.
- Surgery to remove burned skin (debridement).
- Washing of the skin (irrigation), perhaps every few hours for several days.
If the poisoning is severe, the person may be admitted to the hospital.
Outlook (Prognosis)
How well someone does depends on how much hair dye they swallowed and how quickly they receive treatment. The faster medical help is given, the better the chance for recovery.
Extensive damage to the mouth, throat, and stomach is possible. The outcome depends on how much of this damage there is. Damage to the esophagus and stomach can continue to occur for several weeks after the product is swallowed. A hole can develop in these organs, and that can lead to severe bleeding and infection. Surgery may be needed to treat these and other complications.
Exposure to lead or mercury (one time or continuing) can lead to permanent brain and nervous system damage.
References
Aronson JK. Hair dyes. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier B.V.; 2016:643-644.
Wang GS, Buchanan JA. Hydrocarbons. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 147.
Review Date: 11/2/2023
Reviewed By: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.