Don't Let Allergies Stop You


At Citrus we may have something more green and less toxic that will work for you! We have searched the globe to find colour products that have reduced their allergy-causing and toxic ingredients as much as possible and allow them to still do what colour is designed to do.

Understanding colour allergies

Most reactions to hair colour come down to a few key ingredients. Here's how to tell what you're dealing with, and what to watch out for.

Start here

Irritation or true allergy?

Irritation

  • Burning during service
  • Redness
  • Resolves quickly
  • Often caused by high pH, peroxide or ammonia

Allergic contact dermatitisA true allergy

  • Swelling, especially eyelids and face
  • Blistering
  • Oozing rash
  • Delayed reaction
  • Gets worse with repeated exposure

Allergies typically worsen over time due to sensitization.

The main culprit

What is PPD?

Para-phenylenediamine (PPD) is one of the main causes of hair dye allergies. It's a dark dye used in almost every permanent hair colour on the market, regardless of brand, and the darker the colour, the higher the concentration usually is.

2 in 3More than two-thirds of permanent hair dyes contain PPD or related chemicals
7.1%of adults with contact dermatitis reacted to PPD in a London patch-test survey, double the rate six years earlier
2–6%PPD in traditional hair dyes, compared with 10–15% in black henna
Common questions

Digging deeper

Is “PPD-free” colour safer?

Most colours marketed as “PPD-free” use PTD (para-toluenediamine) instead. It delivers the same long-lasting, permanent results, but it's chemically related to PPD, so many people who react to PPD also react to PTD.

They are different compounds, and some people allergic to PPD can tolerate PTD. A patch test and professional guidance are strongly recommended before trying it.

Why does permanent colour need PPD or PTD?

Permanent colour works through a chemical reaction inside the hair. Small, colourless molecules like PPD or PTD get inside the hair and react with the developer to form bigger coloured molecules that stay trapped there. That's what makes the colour permanent, and it's why they cover grey so well.

Without one of these ingredients, the reaction that makes colour last can't happen properly, which is why most permanent hair colours use either PPD or PTD.

More facts about PPD

To get a dramatic colour change or cover grey, PPD is unavoidable even in “greener” colour products, although lower concentrations can still be effective. It's popular because it stays stable at high temperatures, and it's also used in dyes for fabrics, fur and dark makeup.

According to CBC News, rates of allergy to hair dye have jumped in several countries as more people colour their hair. Because studies have neither proven nor disproven its toxicity, the Environmental Protection Agency hasn't classified PPD as a carcinogen, so hair dye boxes carry no toxicity warnings.

Important

Avoid black henna, always

There's no such thing as natural black henna. True henna can't make hair black, so “black henna” is mixed with PPD or similar chemicals. It's often sold as temporary tattoos or dark hair colour, and when it's used on skin the PPD goes straight onto skin, which is far more reactive than hair.

10–15%PPD in black henna, versus 2–6% in hair dye
ScarringReactions can look like a chemical burn and leave a scar
LifelongOne reaction can cause lasting sensitivity to hair colour, sunscreen, cosmetics and dark fabrics

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