Severe aplastic anaemia following the use of hair dye: report of two cases and review of literature.

We describe two female patients aged 31 and 62 y who developed severe aplastic anaemia following the use of hair dye containing para-toluenediamine. One received a bone marrow transplant but died after developing graft versus host disease and severe opportunistic infection. The second responded to treatment with methylprednisolone, oxymetholone and antithymocyte globulin and 3 y later she has a normal blood count apart from mild thrombocytopenia. In this paper we also review previously described case reports of aplastic anaemia apparently associated with the use of hair dye.