A medically licensed, dermatologists’ test, Colourstart, has been recognised for use by UK hairdressing trade organisations as an alternative to the colour manufacturers’ recommendation of directly applying hair colour to the skin, which is known as the Allergy Alert Test.

The Colourstart test, which was created by UK company TrichoCare Diagnostics in collaboration with UK hair industry bodies. It tests for hair colour molecule para-phenylenediamine – known as PPD – which is present in permanent hair colour formulations and can sometimes cause a contact allergy in users.

It is a licensed medicine, approved for use by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

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