Another Child Scarred by Henna Tattoos With PPD
For months Inked Talk has featured a number of articles on the dangers of henna tattoos that have been altered with a substance called PPD to make the tattoos look darker. The high concentration of PPD in the henna mixture causes a strong allergic reaction in a good percentage of the population. These allergic reactions can lead to a sensitization to further exposure to PPD, which is found in lower quantities in hair dye, certain textile and leather dyes, and other pigments.
Inked Talk brought the first of these articles in February of 2008. A news story from England prompted a second story about henna and PPD allergies in July. The latest article from the UK may sound like a repeat, but yet another child in Bristol was scarred badly by a Bart Simpson henna tattoo laced with PPD.
(Yes, that’s Bart Simpson scooting a towel across his backside. Not only will this boy have a scar in the form of a pop culture icon that is likely to be long since passé by the time he gets into high school, but he has one of the tackier Bart images that he could have chosen. Poor kid.)
You can read the full article here.
Regular Inked Talk readers know that I get up on a soap box over PPD at every opportunity, so I don’t want to beat a dead horse too badly today. However, if you must have a henna tattoo, or if for some reason you feel you must have one applied to a child, be absolutely certain that the tattoo artist does not use henna laced with PPD. The good henna tattoo artists - and there are many - are well aware of the dangers of PPD and wouldn’t think of applying PPD to the skin. Talk to the artist first, ask questions, and proceed only if you feel comfortable with the answers.
October 4th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
The easiest way to make sure that a vendor is using safe, natural henna is to ask what color the “tattoo” will be RIGHT after the paste is removed. The correct answer is orange. If the vendor says black or brown, your dealing with poison.
November 7th, 2008 at 8:50 am
its all myth, henna tatto dont cause any scar