Woman hospitalized in ICU after allergic asthma caused by hair dye

A woman in Changsha, Hunan province, was hospitalized in an intensive care unit after she experienced allergic asthma caused by hair dye, reported Jiupai News, a news portal based in Hubei province.

The 60-year-old woman, surnamed Li, had her hair dyed black to cover her white hair so as to attend a wedding ceremony of a relative recently.

Approximately four hours after the dyeing procedure, she started experiencing breathing difficulties and eventually fell unconscious. She was rushed to the nearest hospital, where she was put on a ventilator.

After reviewing Li's condition and medical records, doctors concluded that the allergic asthma was a direct result of the hair dye. They shaved off her recently dyed hair to minimize her exposure to allergens.

Following this intervention, Li's airway inflammation gradually subsided, and her condition improved significantly. She was able to breathe on her own and was removed from the ventilator on Oct 8. She was transferred to a general ward on Oct 11 and was discharged from the hospital on Monday.

The most important precaution and treatment for allergic asthma is avoiding exposure to the allergens in the surrounding environment, said Zhang Xingwen, the chief physician in charge of Li's case. He added that people with a history of asthma should keep medication within reach and seek medical help if they experience symptoms of asthma.