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Hair Wax, Chalk, or Dye

Low Risk

Also known as:

Clairol Garnier® grooming wax hair color Just For Men® Loreal® pomade Revlon® Splat®

Possible Symptoms
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • skin irritation
  • eye irritation
What to Do
  1. Wipe or rinse out the mouth.
  2. Give a serving size of water to drink.
  3. Rinse any exposed skin with lukewarm water and soap.
  4. Call 1-800-222-1222 for additional instructions.
If Exposed to Eyes
  1. Start rinsing eye(s) with lukewarm water.
  2. Call the Missouri Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 for further recommendations.

Important

Some conventional or permanent hair dyes contain ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, ethanolamines, and p-phenylenediamine, which can cause more serious symptoms. Call the Missouri Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 to determine what ingredients are in your product and the next treatment advice.

Additional Information

Temporary hair dyes, waxes, or chalks – like those used during Halloween – can cause minor irritation. If swallowed, they can cause nausea and vomiting.

Conventional hair dye colors the hair using a combination of ingredients such as ammonia or ethanolamines, hydrogen peroxide, and p-phenylenediamine – all of which can have toxic symptoms if swallowed. These chemicals can also cause respiratory issues and skin irritation. Call the Missouri Poison Center right away for help on how to sort through the ingredients and determine the next steps to take.

If you notice that your child has ingested a hair coloring product, it is important not to panic. Take the product away from the child and wipe their mouth out with a soft wet cloth. You may give them some water to drink to get the taste out of their mouth. Do not try to induce vomiting.

After you have removed your child from the situation, immediately call the Missouri Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222.  Treatment recommendations are often determined by the amount ingested. The poison center is open all day, every day for poisoning emergencies and questions and our team of medical professionals will help to walk you through the next steps.

Take The Missouri Poison Center With You

Emergencies don’t wait for you, so you shouldn’t have to wait to call for help. Get the Missouri Poison Center app with poison information and a link to the Poison Help Line. It is just a click away during the most stressful moments. Our registered nurses and pharmacists are here 24/7/365 days a year to help guide you through poison exposures and overdose emergencies.

Don’t wait. Download now.

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