Temporary tattoos using ‘black henna’ in place of traditional henna for durability may well end up causing long-lasting skin allergies, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned.
The danger is posed by the ingredient used to blacken henna, which is often a coal-tar hair dye containing p-phenylenediamine (PPD), which could cause serious skin reactions in some people, said the FDA. “Just because a tattoo is temporary it doesn’t mean that it is risk free,” says linda Katz, director of FDA’s Office of Cosmetics and Colors.
MedWatch, FDA’s safety information and adverse event outlet, is said to have 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.
“A number of consumers have learned the risks the hard way, reporting significant bad reactions shortly after the application of black henna temporary tattoos,” the FDA said.
The parents of a 5-year-old girl reported that she developed severe reddening on her forearm about two weeks after receiving a black henna temporary tattoo. And the mother of a 17-year-old girl said how a similar a tattoo “became red and itchy and later began to blister and the blisters filled with fluid”.
“You may see ‘black henna’ used in places such as temporary tattoo kiosks at beaches, boardwalks, and other holiday destinations, as well as in some ethnic or specialty shops,” the FDA said. While some States in the US have laws and regulations for temporary tattooing, others don’t.