Hair Dye Test Saves Teen from Lethal Allergic Reaction

The recent story of a 16-year-old’s brush with death has created a major stir after going viral across multiple news platforms. The girl, Sophie Warren, hopes that sharing her traumatic experience may help prevent others from suffering a similar fate. Sophie had recently changed her hair color using a home dye kit, but was unsatisfied with the results. She visited a local salon, Hairport, expecting a straightforward color correction appointment. The veteran stylist placed a small dab of the hair dye behind the girls’ ears to test for allergies, a standard practice which proved profoundly beneficial.

After the product is applied, the salon requires a 48-hour waiting period to ensure an allergic reaction does not occur. Despite having used similar products before, Sophie had a severe reaction to the hair dye; she began to notice allergic symptoms during her commute home. Within the hour, her ears were considerably swollen and weeping. Her neck also began to swell up.

Despite these dramatic side effects, Sophie expected the reaction to subside naturally. Forty-eight hours later, she returned to the salon to have the hair procedure performed. Sophie’s stylist noted the allergic reaction and urged her to go to the hospital for treatment. There, her doctor treated her with antibiotics, which helped reduce the swelling. However, her reaction continued to worsen. Sophie’s skin was covered in a rash and an infection spread from her ear throughout her body. She was able to recover from her severe reaction, but will never be able to use hair dye again.

Fortunately for Sophie, her haircare professionals tested for her reaction prior to applying the product to her hair. Her doctors warned that, had Sophie not been tested prior to getting her hair dyed, she may have died. Allergies can develop unexpectedly throughout our lifetime. Like Sophie, many individuals may not realize they have allergies. In order to prevent a serious allergic reaction from affecting you, visit a local San Diego ENT office. Here, your allergist will perform an allergy test to determine if you might have a hazardous reaction. Existing allergies can be managed and even cured through personalized treatments. To learn more about allergies, we welcome you to call our staff at (858) 909-0770!