Beware of black henna tattoos 

05:57 PM PDT on Friday, August 12, 2005

By DEBORAH FELDMAN / KING 5 News

SEATTLE - For people who like the look of tattoos but not the permanence of them, henna tattoos are an increasingly popular option. But there's a potentially dangerous alternative to the true henna tattoo -- black henna. It can leave behind a painful, and sometimes permanent reminder.

KING

The result of an allergic reaction to henna.

Henna tattoos are an ancient art form, a temporary skin dye made from plant leaves that have been used by various cultures for thousands of years.

It’s becoming an increasingly popular body decoration in America, since it’s all-natural, can be artfully applied and usually lasts just a few weeks.

Kree Arvanitas has created henna body art for years.

"Its really satisfying to me as an artist because its not something that's totally under my control,” she said. “It really is a collaboration between the person who's giving it and the person who's receiving it."

But in recent years, the introduction of a product nicknamed “black henna” has her extremely concerned.

"Its not a natural henna,” she said. “Sometimes people add henna to it, but it’s not a natural henna product."

Black henna is almost always made with something called paraphenylenediamine, or PPD, a chemical primarily found in black hair dye. While the so-called black henna initially creates tattoos that look black and inky like a real tattoo, some people are extremely allergic to the chemical.

The original black henna drawing may turn into a red, angry-looking welt that can potentially turn into a scar.

"Putting paraphenylenediamine on your skin is analogous to putting poison ivy on your skin,” Kree said.

Dr. Robert Sidbury is a pediatric dermatologist. He got a black henna tattoo several years ago that was made, unbeknownst to him, with PDD.

The result was an angry scab in the exact shape of the original, a so-called temporary tattoo that landed on the cover of a dermatology journal.

"Sure enough, after about eight or 10 days it started to become lighter in color but become very itchy, very red, and ultimately developed into a very impressive rash," he said.

The most common place to run into black henna is at street fairs, where henna booths attract an eager clientele.

"I just think they look really cool on your hands, you know when you're working and someone's like, ‘Oh! What’s that?’ and I go, ‘It’s a henna tattoo,’” said one client, Bryn Eden.

Another client, Connie Eden likes it "because it’s a tattoo that goes away, plus its cool looking.”

While one booth might be applying the real henna, others may not. By the time the rash forms, the vendors are long gone.

It’s enough to keep some henna artists away from the outdoor festivals.

"I'm very concerned about it because I want to be safe,” Kree said.” I want our customers to have a good experience, I want them to enjoy a traditional art, and to learn a little something about the traditional art and come away with something beautiful that's not going to harm them."

The two main ways to ascertain if henna is the real deal, or is black henna, is to ask questions.

Real henna needs to stay on the skin for four to eight hours before being washed off. Black henna only needs stay on for an hour or less.

Also, ask what color stain the henna will leave behind. After several days, real henna looks orange or red just like its name, while black henna will leave behind black markings.