A woman who was temporarily blinded and left unrecognisable to her own mother after suffering a severe reaction during a hair dyeing appointment has been awarded damages.
Just before her school formal, Charlotte Gilchrist, who was 16 at the time, had an extreme allergic reaction when a trainee hairdresser applied hair dye without first carrying out a skin patch test.
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She was left with a badly swollen face, as well as developing blisters. She was also unable to open her eyes for five days.
Now 21, she is using her experience as a tale of caution when it comes to hair dye.
Compensation of £2,000 has been paid to Charlotte and her legal fees of £18,000 will have to be covered by the owner of the salon after they initially defended the case.
She said: “I took the legal action because I wanted them to realise how much it’s affected my life. Hairdressers have a responsibility to their clients.
“It could happen to anyone – they don’t know how sensitive people are so a skin test is a must. My advice to everyone is be careful.
“I hope this makes people realise what can happen.”
Injury solicitor Denise Kitchener, when asked about the case, said: “Anyone can pick up a pair of scissors and call themselves a hairdresser, with or without training and qualifications.”
She added: “While there are many reputable salons out there, others have a careless attitude towards the safety of their customers.”