Animal data o n 2 N P P D and 4 N O P D and cosmetic hair dyes containing these ingredients suggest that both compounds were nonirritating t o rabbit skin and eyes, but were sensitizers o n guinea pig skin. The results of repeated insult patch tests with hair dye products containing these ingredients indicated that neither was an irritant or a sensitizer t o human subjects as normally used. In the absence of human data o n the pure compounds, however, 2 N P P D and 4 N O P D are considered t o be potential human sensitizers.Topically applied 2 N P P D and 4 N O P D are absorbed by experimental animals. Neither embryotoxicity nor teratogenicity was observed in animal studies when hair dyes containing 2 N P P D and 4 N O P D were applied t o the skin. Both ingredients were mutagenic in some bacterial and in vitro mammalian systems; both compounds had some genotoxic activity. In feeding studies in mice and rats, only 2 N P P D induced hepatocellular tumors in female mice. Both compounds were noncarcinogenic in male mice and in rats of either sex. Epidemiological data have not demonstrated a carcinogenic effect in man for hair dyes.For those persons not sensitized, it i s concluded that 2 N P P D and 4 N O P D are safe as hair dye ingredients at the current concentration of use.