A woman’s head doubled in size after a horrific allergic reaction to a common hair dye that left her struggling to breathe.
19-year-old English student Estelle, from Paris, shared photos showing her shocking disfigurement caused by the chemical PPD, which is found in 90 percent of hair dyes.
Estelle, who had previously suffered a mild reaction to a different hair dye, had even used the allergy test that comes with the product.
But, instead of waiting the recommended 48 hours, the teen applied the dye after just 30 minutes.
The horrific reaction then caused her scalp to itch before the top of head started to swell up.
Speaking to French daily Le Parisien, Estelle said: “I could still see; here I was struggling to breathe.”
Estelle had attempted to treat herself using antihistamines and cream from a pharmacist but she awoke the next day to catch a glimpse of her reflection.
She explains: “My forehead had doubled in volume. My head was like a light bulb”.
Her mother rushed her to the hospital where the circumference of her head now measured 63 cm rather than the average 56.
Estelle’s tongue then began to swell up and she soon had difficulty catching her breath.
She was given an adrenaline injection and her condition finally lessened, finally returning her face back to normal.
Since surviving her ordeal, Estelle’s mother believes there should be greater awareness of the dangers behind PPD.
PPD, the abbreviation for paraphenylenediamine, is widely used in hair dyes despite its known allergic risks.