ABSTRACT
Hair dye poisoning is not rare, but is an emerging poisoning in India. The main component of super vasmol hair dye causing toxicity is paraphenylenediamine (PPD) and can cause rhabdomyolysis, laryngeal edema, severe metabolic acidosis, acute renal failure (ARF) and myocarditis. There is no specific antidote for hair dye poisoning and treatment is mainly supportive. We report a case of suicidal ingestion of hair dye that presented with angioneurotic edema, rhabdomyolysis and ARF. Our patient improved completely with dialysis and symptomatic management. Various pathogenesis of its complications are also explained in this case report.
ABSTRACT
The commonest poisons used in suicide in rural India include organophosphorus pesticides, other pesticides, and toxic plants such as oleander. In urban areas, recently introduced pesticides which are easily available in agricultural shops are the commonest poisons. A rising trend is being noticed of late, of household poisons, especially hair dye being commonly employed. Characteristic features noted in three cases of suicide with Super Vasmol® hair dye in our hospital are discussed in this paper with emphasis on the importance of emergency measures such as tracheotomy to relieve supra-glottic oedema which is not uncommon in such cases.