Allergic Reaction to Hair Glue Kills London Woman

February 2nd, 2012 - By Brande Victorian

After a night of clubbing, Atasha Graham collapsed but it wasn’t because the 34-year-old was partying too hard. She went into anaphylactic shock which, according to the Southwark Coroner’s Court in London, was caused by an allergic reaction to the latex glue used to bond her hair extensions to her head.

After being rushed to the hospital, Atasha never regained consciousness, and died there. After checking her organs and ruling out any alcohol or substance abuse, Home Office pathologist Doctor Michael Heath examined the glue on one of the hair pieces she was wearing. Although allergic reactions to latex typically occur within 30 minutes of contact, Dr. Health said if Atasha was sweating in the club, the perspiration may have caused the latex to enter her bloodstream.

What’s odd is that this was far from Atasha’s first time wearing extensions. She had been wearing weave since the age of 20, which makes doctors even more curious about her mysterious death. Still, they are sure it was caused by anaphylactic shock.

“The diagnosis is correct, but I am not sure what triggered it,” Dr. Heath said.

“If she had recovered we could have carried out tests, but the situation we have, tragically, we cannot take it any further.”

Dr. Heath added that he’s seen increasingly more cases of people going to anaphylactic shock as a result of the hair glues used to apply extensions, which means everyone should be more careful about what substances they’re putting in their hair.

“There are about 10 to 20 deaths a year in this country, many more in America. I have seen four in the last three months.”

That’s definitely a terrible way to go.

Do you use hair glue to attach hair extensions when you wear weave? Have you ever had an allergic reaction?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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  • Ashnjoed46

    Omg I’m shocked my prayers go out to the family…

  • YeahIWentThereCuzICan

    Just washed my locs today. Only beauty store product I need to add was the hairpins for my updo. #NaturalHairIsBest#

  • the Winnie

    As long as the look we desire doesnt cause us physical , emotional, nor financial harm, we are at liberty to creatively express ourselves however we choose because, after all, we are not our hair but so much more than that. I’ve been natural for 2 1/2 years and I like to wear weave looks. no glue. no sew-ins, no lacefronts…just the look. check out the site—->   - http://www.getmywinnie.com

  • MsDivine1

    If u read the directions it says to Not use glue on your scalp …but some people dont pay attention to important things like that…Rip to the lady but others need to be careful when using this hair glue …

  • Akosua123

    reason #78 for being natural.

  • http://twitter.com/DTFunkyChocolat Dannie

    I never liked the idea of getting a weave glued in (which is why I’ve always done a sew in) but this is simply ridiculous. Such a terrible way to go….I offer my condolences to her family…

  • jjac401

    Ladies need to be careful when getting nails AND eyelash extensions glued on too.  I had a terrible reaction to the glue.  Never again!

  • Guest

    GOT DAMN BLACK WOMEN, WTF DOES IT TAKE TO GET THE IDEA, YOUR NOT FU_KING WHITE! I MEAN HOW DUMB CAN YOU BE?! HELLOOOOOOO?! ARE YOU RETARDED OR JUST THAT DAMN DESPERATE? YOU WILL NEVER BE RAPUNZEL! EAT IT, DIGEST IT, SHYT IT OUT & GET OVER IT.CAN’T KEEP STICKING UP FOR DUMBAZZES THAT HATE THEMSELVES.  I CAN’T … I WON’T … MOST IMPORTANTLY, I’M NOT!

    • MsDivine1

      U sound really dumb as hell. Please just kill yourself asap ..

    • 4b

      Ignore the troll…

    • Gibsonc78

      Do you know that women from every culture do “fake” things to beautify themselves?  First of all  white women wear extensions too….and I mean plenty of them.  Alot of Asian women will not be caught dead without their “circle lenses” which are contacts where the iris of the eye is extended farther out…it makes the eyes appear larger.  They also wear false eyelashes alot…same issue..the eyes.  They tend to dislike their eyes.  White women dye their hair, bleach it, extend it ect.  They are DYING…literally DYING over trying to keep their standard of thinness which is very difficult once a woman reaches puberty so they are developing anorexia at alarming rates…they get implants and sitin the sun getting skin cancer.   My point is….BLACDK WOMEN DO NOT HAVE THE MARKET CORNERED ON FALSE BEAUTY!!!!!  Please stop making it into some important issue and test of blackness.  You are just dividing us and placing extra burdens on black women that aren’t on other women.  White guys arent walking around saying “stop this tanning and love your pale skin…if you tan you aren’t a real white girl”.   No they just get to enjoy themselves and be a woman.  Trying to beautify with false tools is historically FEMALE.  Please stop putting this pressure on black women.

    • deneatra

      Black women wearing hair weave is no different than white women getting breast implants, butt implants, nose jobs, etc. Everyone has a right to wear hair weave or get plastic surgery, if it makes them happy then  who are YOU to judge?! It doesn’t necessarily mean they hate themselves.

  • BURKS4087

     Nothing is more disgusting to me than a hair weave whether it’s sewn in our glued in. I know there are certain exceptions for cosmetic reasons due to illness.  But, I hope this a wake-up call  for women who incise on wearing such a potentially dangerous hairstyle.

  • http://www.facebook.com/RosarioRed Rosario Stefania Scarsci

    Wow. That is sad. Maybe it’s something that British – Based companies are using in their formulas? Hmm

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=30401700 Tahani Tompkins

    i had a reaction once. got a headache SO bad i was sweating and couldn’t breathe/went to the er. turns out hair glue can NOT be glued on the scalp or else you’ll start to suffocate once it tightens… once they removed the weave my heart stablized and i was able to breathe propperly/the headache stopped!

    • YeahIWentThereCuzICan

      I’d go to the beauty supply store I bought it from….write down the manufacturer’s information….format and send them a letter….reference this tragic example….get your local news station involved. 

  • Valerieleake

    That is sad, our people needs to know this

  • Prissy

    I get sew-ins, but sometimes in the front they attach an “extra” piece with glue where the hair is too fine/fragile to braid or put pressure on with the hair weave. The fact that it is glued directly to your scalp eliminates the hair being pulled out when it is taken out, but this is a scary scenario. I wish her family well in their time of grieving. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Desiree-Blessed-Gordon/506011427 Desiree Blessed Gordon

    WOW IS ALL I CAN SAY..THIS SAD..I HATE USING GLUE ANYWAYZ

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