While many home remedies exist to attempt to remove the stains from skin, there are very few products distributed in traditional drugstore or discount channels for this purpose. The home remedies vary in effectiveness and carry the risk of skin irritation and abrasion as a result of excessive scrubbing, plus eye irritation if allowed to drip or run into the eye. Some of the more common home remedies include: bleach, ammonia, acetone, and rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol is one of the active ingredients in one commercially-available product in drugstores, Fanci-Full™ Haircolor Stain Remover Towlettes [5].
The following are risks and warnings of the common removal methods:
Bleach
Traditional bleach contains chlorine and/or hydroquinone. Chlorine can irritate and burn skin, as can skin-bleaching products [6]. The FDA has proposed a ruling to remove all skin bleaching products from being available over the counter.
Ammonia
(ammonia is also contained in many hair dyes [7]): Hair colors containing ammonia have been safely used for years. However, it is not advisable to use cleaning ammonia to remove hair color stains, as the CDC reports that ammonia exposure can cause conjunctiva irritation of the eyes [8].
Acetone
Similarly, some people use acetone to remove hair color stains, or to remove petrolatum from the skin when it’s been used as a barrier to prevent stains (see below). However, the CDC reports that repeated and prolonged exposure of the eyes to acetone has the potential to cause permanent vision problems resulting from corneal clouding [9].
Rubbing Alcohol (Isopropyl Alcohol)
Concentrated isopropyl alcohol has been shown to irritate skin, and prolonged inhalation of the vapors can impair coordination and cause headaches [10]. A sensible alternative would be Fanci-Full™ Haircolor Remover Towlettes report, which was formulated specifically for removing hair color stains and contains water, consumer-acceptable levels of isopropyl alcohol, and other cleaning ingredients as a solvent or solubilizer of the dye. Directions warn to keep away from eyes [5]. While it may be an effective stain remover, it must be used gently to avoid abrasion of skin.
