BananaStock/Jupiter

There's been a dramatic increase in allergic reactions to hair dye in recent years, and a new study claims it's due to our use of color at a younger age.

In the past, hair dye was predominantly used to cover grays, but now we use color as a means of self-expression, to update our look, and even to add luster and body to our tresses. With all of these new uses, however, comes a greater risk of not-so-pretty side effects.

So should we stop coloring our locks? Of course not! But to ensure optimal results, always do a proper patch test.

At what age did you start experimenting with hair color?