Hi! I joined the September sizzler for my rads, and this seems to be the continuation thread. Finishing in three days' time, I will leave the forum then. Before this I wanted to post a HAIR DYE WARNING. I finished my chemotherapy in August. I waited for my hair to regrow, it was white, and I couldn't stand it any longer. I had a handful of dark hair left after the cold cap and I wanted a uniform colour. I dyed my hair with NATURTIN, it said no armonia, no resorcinol, no parabens. It did not seem to mention PPD, a chemical which can cause intense allergic reaction. Apparently black henna can cause the same reaction. I had three pin points tattooes put on my chest for the radiotherapy, and I don't know whether the tattooes had made me more sensitive. I did the hair strand test for allergy, and as nothing happened, I use NATURTIN the next morning. The reaction was slow, it flared out two days later, I thought I ate some bad cheese. I got my radiotherapy appraisal with a nurse, and both of us decided that with some Piriton the rash at the corners of my eyes would clear up. Two days later I was at A&E as "priority", I still thought it was the cheese, because my hair strand test did not give allergic result for 14 hours! I was prescribed steroids for 4 days and antihistamine. My eyes had closed up almost completely, my cheeks were raw red, my ears had double size and I was so itchy I could not sleep. Not what I wanted after 6 cycles chemo and in my second week rads!!! Today (in my fourth week rads) I had an emergency appointment with my GP, heavier antihistamine, cortisoid cream - and more steroids "just in case". Luckily the rash did not touch by breast. I am pre-diabetic, the steroids can topple me into diabetes. I am trying to avoid them, but if things don't improve, I might have to take them. I researched the web, and it seems that PPD is the culprit. It is in a lot of hair dyes, even those which are advertised as "natural". Black henna can also cause allergy (in hair dyes and tattooes). PPD is often in hair dye where there are two containers to mix. Apparently I can have weeks of rash, itchy skin, puffy eyes, and I am writing this so that others don't go through this - I am not even concerned about my 4th week rads (!!!). This issue is now dominating my life! The 4th week rads is so much easier, no more breath hold tube. I don't think that if I waited another month or two for my hair, it would have made any difference. I dyed my hair before, and this is the first time I use NATURTIN. Sending my best wishes to your friendship meetup - I live too far away to join - sigh. Egret x
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