Allergic Reaction To Hair Dye Causes Boy’s Head To Swell [Photos]

A teenage boy’s head swelled to nearly twice its normal size after he experienced an unusual reaction to hair dye.

The entire experience was documented by a Reddit user who posted the pictures of his friend’s little brother. According to the Daily Mail, the teenager’s reaction was likely due to the chemical para-phenylenediamine contained in the hair dye.

The dozen or so images chronicle a situation none of us would like to find ourselves in. The first image in the series shows a guy checking out his hair in the mirror. To mark the occasion, he takes a self-portrait with the camera in his phone.

Although the next two pictures in the series are nothing short of horrifying, things take a serious turn for the worse. Photos four and five show just how big the poor guy’s head has swollen. The reaction begins with his scalp and slowly begins working its way down his face.

In some of the pictures, the teenager seems kind of amused by the situation. However, it’s clear by the end that he’s a little beaten down by the experience.

The Huffington Post explains the images contained in the Imgur album span about a week-and-a-half. The Reddit user who originally started the thread about the boy’s hair dye reaction said the swelling is now pretty much gone.

The chemical that likely caused the teenager’s head to swell is stronger in darker dyes. Although his reaction was horrifying, it could have been much worse. Sometimes using hair dye can result in an anaphylactic reaction. In addition to obstructing airways, the reaction can cause severe brain damage.

A handful of images from the boy’s ordeal have been included in the gallery below. Keep in mind that a few of the pictures are a little disturbing.

Have you ever had a reaction to hair dye that caused your head to swell?