Severe Hair Loss of the Scalp Due to a Hair Dye Containing Para-Phenylenediamine

In 2011, a case report detailed a 41-year-old female who experienced severe hair loss, approximately 90%, after using a hair dye containing para-phenylenediamine (PPD). The symptoms, which included severe itching of the scalp, developed one day after dye use, with hair loss occurring six days later. A patch test confirmed a strong allergic reaction to PPD. The patient was diagnosed with contact dermatitis due to PPD, which led to the hair loss. Treatment with systemic corticosteroids improved her skin lesions, and after ceasing the use of the hair dye, she had no recurrence for 18 months. The report emphasized the need for dermatologists to consider allergic contact dermatitis from hair dyes as a potential cause of telogen effluvium, a condition characterized by increased hair shedding, in patients presenting with hair loss.