A safety alert over the use of hair dye allergy self-assessment kits has been issued by the EU scientific committee on consumer products, which fears they could lull users into a false sense of security. Such tests are not infallible, and could produce “misleading and false-negative results, thus giving individuals who are allergic to hair dye substances the false impression that they are not allergic”, encouraging consumers to use an unsafe product.
The same committee has also raised safety concerns about certain specific hair dyes. It has claimed test information on HC Red n°13 “is insufficient to allow a final risk assessment to be carried out”, calling for an in vitro percutaneous absorption study.
Also, as regards 1,3-bis-(2,4-Diaminophenoxy)propane, and its Tetrahydrochloride; 2-Hydroxyethylpicramic acid; and 4-Nitrophenyl aminoethylurea, mutagenicity and/or genotoxicity tests should be performed. The committee also examined HC Yellow n°10, declaring it generally safe.