AT 77 The Hill, we want to do the very best for our customers and as a part of that, skin testing is extremely important.
We insist on carrying out a skin test for any new customer, any existing customer who is having a big change, particularly if they’re going darker and for anyone who might be anxious about having colour, even if they have had a skin test with us before, such as with pregnancy.
We have a few enquiries where a potential customer will insist they don’t need one as they’ve been having colour for years.
It is little known that one can become allergic to any colour at any point in their lives, even if they have been allergy-free for years.
We can only minimise the risk by making sure everyone has one at least annually, or as stated above.
Firstly, we have a duty of care to our customers, and allergies are increasingly common!
Our partners, such as Schwarzkopf and Milkshake, have a duty of care to us as a salon and will support us if we have followed protocol and somebody has a reaction to colour.
There are a few things that can happen during a skin test, such as redness and itching, but it doesn’t mean the reaction is an allergic one.
We always recommend taking a photo if there are any doubts, so that we can assess the situation and perhaps change course if an allergy is suspected.
Generally, the darker the colour used, the more chance there is of having an allergy.
This is because the active ingredient – phenylenediamine, or PPD – is more intense in darker shades, as it helps bond the dye to the hair shaft.
It can be found in semi-permanent or permanent colour.
It is extremely rare to be allergic to hair dye, and companies are more aware than ever of minimising the risks to customers.
Please don’t be offended if we insist on skin testing because, although it’s not a legal requirement to have one (we think it should be), we put safety first.
We would also refuse to colour any child’s hair under the age of 16 because the younger you start dying hair, the more likely you are to develop an allergy later.
Thanks for your understanding on this subject!
If you would like more information about any treatment please call us on 0208 367 9977 or 0208 364 5700 or email us.