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Fake tan - allergic reaction

21 posts, 8 members
trudijoy
8375 posts
Last night I had a life experience I don't want to repeat: allergic reaction to fake tan.

I had crazy swollen, red, itchy feet and hands, red face, heart rate up, short of breath. Quite scary especially when it's something I've used so often. This exact BOTTLE I've used twice already and reacted on the third time. Luckily I had antihistamines to hand and realised pretty soon what was happening and got it off my skin, and had a friend (who's a nurse) getting me to check on things but pretty bloody scary there for a while

Has anyone had a similar reaction and gone on to be able to use tan again?
Helibabi
101 posts
it's horrible and scary eh!? I've had a few bad reactions to tanning and sunscreen products in the past. One sunscreen even put me in hospital!! So I'm super wary about what I use and try and do test patches now. I've had some luck with coola and ecotan products.. pretty $$ though. With coola you use to be able to get small samples but not too sure if you still can? Good luck 
shazatron101
5112 posts
i haven't but ouch!!

maybe the tanner reacted to something else on your skin? have you tried anything new lately? that's so sucky :/
trudijoy
8375 posts
nothing different at all except the reaction. I did knock the mousse dispenser cap off the bottle but that shouldnt affect it, i could still dispense it and it looked and smelled the same.

I'd just showered before i applied it as i'd dyed my hair as well, which went fine, no reaction, so IDEK.

Super freaking scary, I was all set to get myself to urgent care (there's one a few moments from my house). Heart rate 129bpm at one stage and i was ON THE COUCH.

I just tried Coola helibabi but they don't do samples now. The range i use is normally fine for me and i LOVE it so i'll be gutted if it's over for me
trudijoy
8375 posts
oh btw i messaged the company in question just to see if they could offer insight and they were AMAZING.

Explained that it's possible for allergies to develop at random because of the chemicals etc used, made sure I knew to patch test when i tried again, and offered to replace my brand new, as yet unused bottle of tan, even after i patch test with it, with something else from the range if i react again. Impressed when they only have my word it happened.
SooziesWorld
3009 posts
That is really scary. Since you also dyed your hair, I would be patch testing that too before you use it again. Severe allergic reactions to hair dye can occur even hours after you've used it and may affect other parts of your body, not necessarily your scalp. It can also happen out of the blue after using the same dye for years. (I need to follow my own advice hair - I never patch test)
trudijoy
8375 posts
yeah that occurred to me but then because it eased when i washed my hands and feet i thought it was probably the tan. Which I didn't put on my hands or feet. Which makes it even weirder.
Lisa-Lou
2690 posts
Sounds horrible! I too never do patch tests and I know I should especially hair dye!
shazatron101
5112 posts
thats bizarre you didn't tan your hands and feet but then they were the most affected - maybe it was the hair dye, as you wouldve used your hands to wash the dye out, and it would have splashed your feet going down.
weird.
guess you will never know what it was!
Julieal
915 posts
Same as hair colour -You have to do a patch test first and you can develop allergies at any time -Scarey
SooziesWorld
3009 posts
The ingredient that causes allergic reactions to hair dye (PPD) also has higher levels in dark brown and black hair dye so I wouldn’t rule that out as being the culprit. 
itsclearascrystal
2057 posts
That sounds awful. I've used the same couple of tanners for years.
Helibabi
101 posts
wow what a good company to deal with!! 
the company I contacted about mine were so bad.. they had had a lot of bad media about their product though. I knew it was my skin reacting with their product.. most people are fine to use but I wrote them and said they should advise to do a test patch and also allergy advise.... which they totally do now so that's a win. 
Hope you get better soon! It's pretty scary. 
trudijoy
8375 posts
Interesting... after a terrifying patch test last night I’ve just done a ‘boobs up, bum down’ tan (aka a winter version) with no reaction. So it was either the bottle, the hair dye or a combination of the two clashing. Which is ridiculous as I’ve had them on simultaneously a bunch of times. Have a four day conference starting tomorrow so I’ll save a dye test for next week but at least I’m not condemned to be permanently pale!
Helibabi
101 posts
Wow that's lucky! Hopefully no more reactions for you then yay :) might have just been a one off or something. Fingers x
trudijoy
8375 posts
So since the reaction I’ve identified that it was a hair dye reaction not a tan one. I’ve done a bunch of research and switched to a semi permanent as there is a lower chance of reaction. I did three allergy tests in 48 hours but was still terrified dying my hair this morning. I took every precaution I could - wrapped my neck, oiled my ears and hairline, didn’t touch the dye without gloves, rinsed it out totally with my head hanging over the drain (usually I shower it out) and I took a prophylactic antihistamine before I started after checking in with a nurse friend. I want a darker shade but as an experiment, it worked and I’ll try it again. Action plan is to go for semis (and allergy tests) and consider growing the grey( which is a silvery white) out into a grey-black ombré eventually
Lisa-Lou
2690 posts
I'm glad you figured out what caused the reaction Trudi, at least it didn't happen this time but it must be a pain having to take all those precautions, although I'm probably just lazy and should be careful too. I had a bad reaction to something I got on my face from work last week. It swelled up, had a raised red rash all over and burnt so bad. I looked like a snake shedding its skin lol. I'm pretty sure it was hand sanitiser I was using then accidentally rubbed my face. Horrible!
Imoshen
461 posts
I'm glad you worked out what was causing the issue Trudi but it sucks if you can't use the hair dye you like anymore.  

Hopefully you can find something else that doesn't irritate you.

Have you tried Henna?  
Julieal
915 posts
Well done Trudijoy -Hair dye reactions can be really serious
trudijoy
8375 posts
I’ll take patch testing over risking my life x

Nah no interest in henna. I don’t like my hair with red tones and I don’t think henna offers the true dark brown I prefer. Plus apparently it’s super messy and takes hours
trudijoy
8375 posts
Omg Lisa that sounds awful. Hope you’ve come right x

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