A mum was left in 'agony' after she had an allergic reaction to hair dye that caused her face to balloon so huge she looks 'like an alien'.
Lauren Rootes's entire face swelled in size after she dyed her hair black using the product on April 28.
Home hair dye veteran Lauren, who has regularly coloured her hair for 10 years, said her forehead 'quadrupled' in size, she erupted in a painful, oozing rash and clumps of her hair fell out.
Lauren, who is still bedbound and suffering painful side-effects from the suspected allergic reaction to the dye, is speaking out about her ordeal to ensure no-one else suffers like she has.
The 22-year-old full-time mum is urging people to always patch test before colouring their locks, even if they have used a brand lots of times before.
Lauren, from North Shields, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, said: "The first thing I thought when I looked at myself in the mirror and saw everything had swelled up was that I looked like an alien.
"My forehead and eyes started rapidly swelling, my head started rashing up - everywhere was leaking and oozing a horrendous amount of honey-coloured nastiness.
"I couldn't, and still can't, lie down without it hurting.
"The amount if pain I'm in is unbearable, I can't lie down, I can't sleep, I feel sick all the time, I can't eat, I'm always dizzy if I get up, I just don't want anyone else to suffer this if it can be prevented."
Lauren decided to update her barnet while in lockdown and transform her natural 'mousy' brown locks using a lush inky shade.
The mum-of-two says she applied the colour, let it develop and then rinsed it out.
Despite her scalp feeling a little tender afterwards, Lauren shrugged it off as a mild reaction caused by her not dyeing her hair for a while.
But within 48 hours her entire face had ballooned and she went to hospital where she claims doctors confirmed it appeared to be a hair dye allergy.
Lauren said: "I've dyed my hair loads before and been doing it since I was about nine years old.
"I've had every colour you can think of, I've even had rainbow mohawks, and never had any problems with home hair dye kits before.
"I like dying my hair lots of colours for a sense of individuality, you can be walking down the street and not look like anyone else.
"I've always used it since being really young, that was my go-to, my safety blanket as it always came out right.
"I decided to colour it as I was just bored, it's been a good couple of years since I last dyed my hair as I just never got round to it.
"I was going for a black colour this time - something normal for once - and thought lockdown was the perfect chance to dye it again.
"I didn't even think about doing an allergy test as it's a hair dye I've used for ten years with no problems.
"I was perfectly happy with the result to begin with. I was a little bit sore to the touch around my head but I just thought the skin was a bit irritated because I hadn't done it for so long."
The following morning Lauren was woken up by a dripping sensation, and was horrified to discover it was pus oozing from a rash on her body.
Lauren said: "The day after I realised something was wrong, I felt really groggy and dizzy and my skin had started rashing up and seeping.
"I looked at my face straight away using my phone's front view camera as I could feel something dripping, I knew straight away it was an infection."
Assuming she was having an unpleasant but mild reaction to the hair dye, Lauren popped some antihistamines and a painkiller in a bid to stop the infection in its tracks.
As the day progressed and the symptoms worsened, Lauren rang 111 who suggested and was advised to get medical attention.
She went to a walk-in centre where she was told it was an allergic reaction and infection, and was prescribed antibiotics and told to return if symptoms worsened.
The following day Lauren's entire face, including her forehead, eyes and lips, had ballooned.
Horrified Lauren went to Rake Lane Hospital where doctors confirmed it was an allergic reaction and prescribed another course of antibiotics and also put her on steroids.
Lauren said: "Two weeks on and I'm still swollen and oozing from every crevice and I'm still groggy and ill.
"It could take weeks or months to go for all I know. The doctors say it looked like the dye caused it."
Despite a long history of colouring her locks at home, Lauren has vowed not to dye her hair again after the experience.
Lauren said: "I don't normally patch test because I'm just used to doing it, I've always thought I'd be fine.
"I'm no idea what triggered it this time but I'm not dyeing my hair ever again, no chance.
"Don't make my mistake and think 'I've used it for years and been fine', always patch test before dyeing your hair so you don't end up in my position."
