TIL that expired developer can actually burn your client's scalp

I was digging through some old boxes in my station and found a bottle of 20 volume developer from like two years ago. Figured it was probably still good since it was sealed, so I used it on a regular root touch up. Client started complaining about a burning sensation after 10 minutes, and when I rinsed, her scalp was bright red and irritated. Looked it up later - old developer can oxidize and turn more acidic, which is what causes the chemical burn. Has anyone else run into this with old supplies?

2 comments

2 Comments

derek994d ago

lol yeah the "turned more acidic" thing is real. I grabbed a bottle of 30 volume that was sitting in my cabinet for way too long and my regular's roots looked like she got a sunburn after 15 minutes. Now I just toss any developer that's been opened more than like 6 months to be safe, not worth the headache lol.

alex_taylor104d ago

Honestly, I'd need to see the science on that. Developer goes bad, sure, but turning way more acidic to the point of burning someone? Feels like a stretch to me. I've used year old bottles plenty of times with no issues, maybe it's just bad luck or a reaction to something else.