Hair bleach is used to lighten the hair color. These products are generally comprised of potent chemical compounds. If an individual is suspected with poisoning, it can occur by accident or intentional intake of hair bleach.
In some cases, direct exposure of the skin and eyes can also trigger irritation and other associated symptoms.
Remember that some of the toxic substances present in hair bleach products might include hydrogen peroxide, ammonium/potassium persulphate, ethanol, sodium metasilicate and other chemicals.
What are the indications?
The signs of hair bleach poisoning might vary in every case and range from minor to severe.
The usual indications of poisoning might include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Pain and burning sensation in the mouth and throat
Swollen throat that causes difficulty with speech and swallowing. - Abdominal pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Swollen throat that causes difficulty with speech and swallowing
- Blood-streaked or watery diarrhea
- Blurred vision
- Eye irritation, watery drainage and redness if exposed to hair bleach products
- Drowsiness or dizziness
- Inability to walk properly
- Skin rashes
- Issues with urination
- Low blood pressure
- Collapse of the body
- Coma
Management of hair bleach poisoning
If an individual is suspected with hair bleach poisoning, call for emergency assistance right away.
- Make sure that the individual is breathing and has a pulse rate.
- The sites exposed to the chemical such as skin or eyes must be flushed with large amounts of water for up to 15 minutes.
- Induced vomiting is not advisable unless instructed to do so by a healthcare professional.
- In case of ingestion, the individual must be provided with water or milk to drink. Nevertheless, if the individual is vomiting or has low level of alertness, do not provide anything by mouth.
Generally, an individual can recover from the symptoms if proper care and supportive measures are started right away.
Disclaimer / More Information
The information posted on this page on hair bleach poisoning is for learning and educational purposes only. To learn how it is managed, register for first aid training at one of our training centers located throughout Canada. The training centers are in Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Kelowna, Saskatoon, Victoria, Surrey, Mississauga, Winnipeg, Red Deer, Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax.