BEWARE BLACK HENNA Black Henna is a dangerous chemical. Natural Henna should be applied and left on for 2-8 hours and give an orange/red/brown stain. If your henna looks black, and gives an instant stain, it is NOT REAL HENNA! Black Henna can cause terrible scarring. This warning comes from the FDA, which has been receiving reports of serious and long lasting reactions to black henna, the dye sometimes used for some temporary tattoos. Adverse reactions reported to the agency include redness, blisters, raised red weeping lesions, loss of skin pigmentation, increased sensitivity to sunlight, and even permanent scarring. The reactions can develop immediately after getting a temporary tattoo or up to two or three weeks later. Not everyone who gets these tattoos is affected. “Black henna” is often substituted for traditional red henna (which has been safely used for centuries) to create darker and longer-lasting tattoos. In addition to reactions to black henna, you should be aware that some inks sold as black henna may be combinations of red henna plus coal-tar hair dye containing p-phenylenediamine (PPD), an ingredient known to sometimes cause dangerous skin reactions. Sometimes, tattoo artists may use a PPD-containing hair dye alone. By law, PPD is not permitted in cosmetics intended to be applied to the skin. States have jurisdiction over tattoo parlors and regulations differ from state to state (some may not have any regulations). If you develop a reaction to a temporary tattoo, see your doctor and also report the reaction to the FDA’s MedWatch program at 1-800-FDA-1088. Source: “Temporary Tattoos May Put You at Risk”, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, accessed March 28, 2013
Posted on: Tue, 25 Jun 2013 07:30:33 +0000