BEIJING - A 60-year-old woman in Changsha, Hunan province, was hospitalised in an intensive care unit (ICU) after she experienced allergic asthma caused by hair dye, reported Jiupai News, a news portal based in Hubei province.

Ms Li had her hair dyed black to cover her white hair to attend a wedding ceremony of a relative.

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 Ms 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 minimise her exposure to allergens.

Following this intervention, Ms 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 last Wednesday 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 chief physician Zhang Xingwen who is in charge of Ms 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. THE CHINA DAILY/ASIA NEWS NETWORK