Paint allergy

An allergy to paint can occur both when it comes into direct contact with the skin and when inhaling the chemicals that make up its composition. Most often, an allergy occurs to hair dye, as well as to various products for dyeing eyebrows and eyelashes.

There are also cases of allergy to oil-based artistic paints and wall paints. When inhaling harmful chemicals present in the dye, individual intolerance of the body may manifest itself in the form of various side effects. With direct contact of the dye with the skin, undesirable reactions may include the appearance of rashes, painful-tickling irritation of the skin, hyperemia, redness, swelling of the mucous membranes, discharge from the nasal passages, lacrimation, etc. When using any type of dye, you should strictly follow the instructions for its use, in no case should you allow dyes to get into your eyes. Before using hair dye, eyebrows, eyelashes, tattoos, it is imperative to conduct a preliminary allergy test on a small area of the skin.

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Allergy to hair dye

An allergy to hair dye may occur due to hypersensitivity to the substances it contains, such as paraphenylenediamine, which can cause severe irritation when it comes into contact with the skin. In some European countries, this substance is prohibited from being used in the production of hair dye products. Paraphenylenediamine is a component of many dyes and is used to make the color last after dyeing. If you have an allergic reaction to this substance, only natural dyes should be used. Before using any hair dye, it is essential to conduct an allergy test. To do this, apply a small amount of dye to the surface of the elbow bend, and then observe the reaction for forty-eight hours. If any undesirable symptoms, redness and irritation of the skin, itching, rash appear, you should stop using such a dye. If you have an allergy when dyeing your hair, you should immediately wash your hair, thoroughly rinsing off the remaining dye with plenty of water, and immediately take an antihistamine. After providing first aid, you should consult a doctor. It is important to remember that there should be no abrasions, scratches or any other damage on the scalp before dyeing, as this significantly increases the risk of developing an allergic reaction. Before dyeing your hair, make sure that the dye is not expired and strictly follow the instructions for its use.

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Allergy to eyebrow dye

An allergy to eyebrow dye can manifest itself in the form of itching, hyperemia and redness in the eyebrow area, up to the occurrence of a burn with hair loss in the damaged area. It should be noted that in no case should hair dyes be used for dyeing eyebrows; for these purposes, specially designed eyebrow dyes should be used; it is better to do this procedure in a salon after an allergy test on the skin of the elbow bend. In the presence of ophthalmological diseases, it is not recommended to use dyes for eyebrows. It should also be taken into account that when choosing a product for dyeing eyebrows, it is imperative to pay attention to its expiration date; expired products cannot be used for dyeing. Before dyeing eyebrows, it is advisable to apply petroleum jelly to the surface of the skin around the eyes and eyebrows, which will help protect it from burns. If the dye gets on the skin of the face or in the eyes, immediately rinse them with plenty of water. Before using eyebrow dye, be sure to read the instructions for use. If any adverse reactions occur, consult your doctor.

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Allergy to eyelash dye

An allergy to eyelash dye may occur in case of individual intolerance to the substances included in its composition. Therefore, before dyeing eyelashes, it is necessary to conduct an allergy test. Apply a small amount of dye to the inside of the elbow and observe the reaction for at least twenty-four hours. If the skin begins to itch, redness and a rash appear, you cannot use this product. Any remaining dye must be removed from the skin surface. When choosing a dye, be sure to check its expiration date, choose only high-quality dye and follow the instructions for its use. If you use an unsuitable dye for eyelashes, a chemical burn may occur. Also, for safety reasons, it is prohibited to use hair dye to dye eyelashes. If the dye gets into your eyes, rinse them immediately with plenty of water. If irritation appears on the eyes or on the skin, you must take an antihistamine. If the symptoms do not go away, you should consult a doctor.

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Allergy to tattoo ink

Allergies to tattoo ink are relatively rare. Such dyes may contain mercury, chromium, cadmium, cobalt, depending on the color. Allergies to substances used to impart red color are more common than others. Before the tattooing procedure, it is necessary to conduct a sensitivity test by applying a small amount of dye to a small area of skin on the arm. If no suspicious symptoms occur after forty-eight hours, then this dye can be used for coloring. If an allergic reaction to tattoo ink does occur, it is best to seek help from a specialist. If mild local irritation occurs, itching and swelling may occur, blisters may appear when scratching the affected skin. Dermatitis may develop as a side effect of tattoo ink, and eczema may appear on the skin. If the tattoo dye contains paraphenylenediamine, the risk of developing an adverse reaction increases significantly, since when it comes into contact with the skin, this substance can cause severe irritation. In some countries, its use in dyes is prohibited.

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Allergy to the smell of paint

It should be noted that such a concept as "allergy to smell" is very conditional, since the immune reactions of the body are not involved in the intolerance of smells. That is, in such cases, we are talking, rather, about the hyperreactivity of the body, not associated with immunological mechanisms. "Allergy" to the smell of paint can be accompanied by such symptoms as sneezing, nausea, itching of the skin, mucous membranes, a feeling of irritation in the throat, runny nose, watery eyes, painful sensations in the eyes. Since the immune mechanisms are not involved when inhaling odors, this excludes the likelihood of life-threatening conditions. If you cannot stand the smell of dye, you should avoid being in freshly painted rooms. If allergy symptoms appear, you should go out into the fresh air as soon as possible.

Allergy to oil paints

An allergy to oil paints may occur in case of hypersensitivity to the organic pigments included in their composition. Lead and silicon white, as well as yellow Neapolitan paint may contain zinc. Lead, cobalt, and manganese may be used to speed up the drying of the dye. After the paint dries, harmful substances begin to evaporate and easily penetrate the human body through inhalation. In such cases, hyperreactivity of the body may occur in the form of side effects such as irritation in the throat, a sore cough, nasal discharge, nausea. After using such a dye, it is necessary to ventilate the room well. Direct contact of the dye with the skin may cause an allergic reaction to the components included in its composition. A rash, redness, and itching may appear on the skin. In such cases, it is necessary to thoroughly wash off all the dye from the skin and take an antiallergic agent.

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Allergy to wall paint

An allergy to wall paint, manifested in the form of intolerance to its smell, may be accompanied by symptoms such as irritation in the throat, burning eyes, lacrimation, cough reflex, nausea. But since immunological mechanisms are not involved when inhaling odors (except for allergens such as dust, plant pollen), then, most likely, such a reaction is associated with increased reactivity of the body of non-allergic origin. In case of individual intolerance to the smell of wall paint, you should avoid being in rooms where such a smell is present. If you still need to use paint, you must take care to protect your respiratory system and eyes during the painting process, and after finishing, you should thoroughly ventilate the room. In case of non-compliance with safety rules when using wall paint and prolonged stay in a room where there is a smell of a paint, it is possible to develop undesirable phenomena due to inhalation of a large volume of chemicals, including irritation of the mucous membranes. When dyeing, avoid getting the dye on your face, hands, and other areas of the body.

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