Before you get a temporary henna tattoo, make sure you're not allergic. The FDA cautioned consumers in a March 25 press release about the risks and dangers of temporary tattoos.
"MedWatch, FDA's safety information and adverse event (bad side effects) reporting program, has received reports of serious and long-lasting reactions that consumers had not bargained for after getting temporary tattoos. Reported problems include redness, blisters, raised red weeping lesions, loss of pigmentation, increased sensitivity to sunlight, and even permanent scarring." – FDA press release
For those who experience such a reaction or have a concern about a temporary tattoo (or other cosmetic) the FDA recommends calling your healthcare professional first, and to contact FDA MedWatch. This can be done by phone or via an online form.
Pure henna has been used in body art for thousands of years and reactions are extremely rare. It is most often the modern additions of chemicals and other ingredients to traditional henna that increase the dangers associated with temporary tattoos. Each person has a unique body chemistry and just as foods affect people differently, so do ingredients such as essential oils which are commonly added to create henna paste. The safest place to test for an allergic reaction is on the sole of the feet. The following list includes modern ingredients often used to create temporary tattoos and what you should know about them.
![There is no such thing as black henna. A dark brown dye called Kattam is often called black henna, and can cause skin irritation. An even worse product referred to as black henna is PPD paste which produces jet black tattooing. It is sold as "henna stone" which are said to be black rocks from the Nile, but there is no such thing. Skin allergies to black henna can cause permanent scarring. This product is dangerous and "once the body's immune system has triggered an allergic reaction to PPD, such as after having a black henna tattoo, further exposure can be fatal" (The National). This means you have to check ingredients for the rest of your life once you have been sensitized.](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/profile_large/hash/42/83/42834cbac68fb679b4456fc610dcb9a9.jpg?itok=9BjJQL4L "There is no such thing as black henna. A dark brown dye called Kattam is often called black henna, and can cause skin irritation. An even worse product referred to as black henna is PPD paste which produces jet black tattooing. It is sold as "henna stone" which are said to be black rocks from the Nile, but there is no such thing. Skin allergies to black henna can cause permanent scarring. This product is dangerous and "once the body's immune system has triggered an allergic reaction to PPD, such as after having a black henna tattoo, further exposure can be fatal" (The National). This means you have to check ingredients for the rest of your life once you have been sensitized.")
Comments