Henna tattoos made easy for beginners.  Mehndi, the art of henna.ShopHenna.com
Everything about mehndi, the art of henna...
By Beachcombers Bazaar
Beachcombers! has all your mehndi tattoo needs for the art of henna, even for the beginner.

College Park Shopping District s 2525 Edgewater Dr s Orlando, FL  32804 s 407-236-7878

Henna How To's  s  Henna Troubleshooting & Help  s  Black Henna & PPD/Chemicals   s  Henna Design Gallery  s  Links
 

Henna Tattoo Safety: Black Henna Warnings and Information

ShopHenna.com Home


NEW Henna Tips & Tricks

 



Be Noticed...
Shop
Henna Tattoo Products
 
Traditional henna design with Arabic overtones.

Henna Tattoo Products
   Henna Paste & Henna Powder
   Color Henna Paste
   Henna Tools & Accessories

 
Henna tattoo using a Professional applicator bottle with metal tip, also known as a jac bottle


Complete Henna Tattoo Kits

   Starter Henna Kits
    (perfect for henna beginners)
   Pre-mixed Henna Paste Kits
   Fresh Powder Henna Kits
   Temporary Color Henna Kits


Henna tattoo using a Moroccan syringe tip bottle with blunt tip syringe needle

 
Create your own custom
Henna Kit with My-Henna-Kit.

 
Typical henna doodle. Fun with henna tattoos!
 
 


Henna is not black!  Do not use henna that leaves a dark black stain that lasts more than a day or so.Henna Safety: Protect Yourself!
PPD & Chemical Laced Henna (Black Henna)
Henna, Babies, and Children
Safety Checklist


PPD & Chemical Laced Henna
(Black Henna)

Many people are looking a for a deep black tattoo-like stain from natural henna.  Natural henna does not leave a black stain.  The color of natural henna varies and can be a deep burgundy brown, coffee brown, rich maroonish, or any shade of orange or brown.  The color of your actual henna tattoo will depend on a number of factors including, how fresh the henna is and what it is mixed with, how the skin was prepared before applying the henna, how long the moist henna was in contact with the skin, what part of the body was hennaed, and how the dried henna was removed.

Henna needs to stay on a good while (much longer than an hour) for a deep long lasting stain. The length the stain will stay depends on your body chemistry, how long the henna is left on, if a sealant was used, your body temperature, and how well the henna tattoo is cared for. A typical natural henna tattoo will last 5 days to 3 weeks.

Any "henna"  that leaves a deep black stain that lasts for more than a couple of days, contains dangerous chemicals and may not contain henna at all.

"Black henna" containing chemicals is dangerous. Period. Especially if you’ve had a black henna tattoo in the past.

Why? So-called black henna contains a toxin called para-phenylenediamine or PPD (coal tar) which will seep into your bloodstream. Para-phenylenediamine is most often found in hair dyes. The allergic reaction that PPD can cause is similar that of an allergy to bee stings. You may know someone who has to carry around a life-saving syringe in case they are stung by a bee? A PPD allergy can develop at any time once you are sensitized to para-phenylenediamine, but may not show up for weeks, months, or even years. Every time you come into contact with PPD, the allergy will worsen. You will be sensitized to PPD for the rest of your life.

A reaction to para-phenylenediamine can include itching, a rash, full body hives, severe blistering, permanent scarring, liver damage, and life-threatening breathing problems.

Check here for more information about para-phenylenediamine here is a link to The DuPont MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet).  Note the below sentence in the Notes to Physicians section of the official MSDS:

"Severe overexposure may cause facial, pharyngeal, and occasionally, laryngeal edema. Death may be rapid due to acute respiratory distress."

If you have had a black henna tattoo, do NOT dye your hair with a synthetic hair dye without getting checked for an allergy to PPD. To learn more about how seriously this sensitivity can effect your daily life, read this short article by Perry Jackson and her experience of living with an allergy to PPD, that was acquired from hair dye.

If you have never had a black henna tattoo and are thinking of getting one, please think again. Not only could you end up with a life-long allergy, but you could end up in an immense amount of pain, lifelong scars, and/or liver damage.

How do you know if henna is safe for use?

If you are getting henna put on you at a festival, fair, amusement park, vacation destination, or henna party, ask the artist the following questions:

  • What color will my henna tattoo be and how long will it last?
    If the answer is black and more than 3 days, the henna contains PPD.  Do NOT allow that henna to be applied to you or someone you care about.
  • May I see a list of ingredients in your henna?
    Check for any chemicals or any other ingredients that you may have allergies to.

If you are purchasing henna from a store or from an on-line retailer ask the same questions plus this one:

  • Are the ingredients provided for your henna?

If you must have black henna then use natural safe black colored henna. It should not last more than a couple of days and the stain will not be jet black. Safe black henna uses plant extracts for color and is very temporary. Try Beachcombers! natural black color henna. 

Color henna is very different from regular henna.  Beachcombers! color henna contains a small amount of henna along with plant extracts to produce color without any harmful chemicals.

The below is a picture of safe colored henna. The thumb shows what a safe black henna tattoo looks like. Notice it is no where near jet black and it will only last a day or two.

Photo of safe colored henna, including black colored henna.

Ingredient list for Beachcombers! natural black colored henna:

Natural Henna Powder
Mineral Water
Henna Oil
Natural Vegetable Colors
Gum
Citric Preservatives

Ingredient list for Beachcombers! natural henna:

Natural Henna Powder
Mineral Water
Menthol
Henna Oil
Citric Preservatives

SAFETY FIRST!  

  • Avoid henna with any chemicals added.
  • Avoid henna without listed ingredients.
  • Avoid any "black henna" that lasts more than a day or two or is jet black.
  • NEVER henna infants.
  • Only henna children over 8 years old.
  • Avoid doing henna on adults with Hyperbilirubinemia or G6PD.
  • Review your henna ingredients with every client.
  • If doing henna on sensitive clients use mild ingredients and oils, such as lavender oil.

Back To Top


Never henna babies!  Read our henna safety instructions!Henna, Babies, and Children
NEVER HENNA INFANTS!

Hyperbilirubinemia and G6PD:
There are a couple of disorders that can make henna dangerous for children: Hyperbilirubinemia and G6PD. In cultures where henna is done often, children are screened at birth for these disorders, but here in the US, we are not.

These disorders can cause severe anemic reactions in children exposed to henna, though they are not normally a big deal for adults exposed to small amounts of henna. The younger the child, the more severe the reaction.  I suggest adults with either hyperbilirubinemia or G6PD also avoid henna.  Other items people with these disorders are often sensitive to are aspirin, fava beans, and mothballs.

Most reputable henna artists avoid doing henna on kids under 6.  I don't henna children under the age of 8.  My daughter has severe allergies to many cosmetics, and that makes me a bit more conservative than most. She has had henna tattoos since she was 8 (just turned 16!).

Read this medical article for more information on Hyperbilirubinemia: Henna Induced Severe Hemolysis.   Here is a more user friendly site about G6PD.

Other Factors of Safe Henna for Children and Other Sensitive Clients:

If you henna children, pregnant women, or other sensitive individuals, consider making your henna mixture as mild as possible.  Avoid harsh oils in your henna mix, tea tree, eucalyptus, etc... If you use oil, I suggest lavender oil, as it is very mild and doesn't irritate the skin.  Have a complete list of your henna ingredients ready and review with every client (and their parent, if it's a child).

Most reactions to henna, are not a reaction to the henna itself, but to an ingredient in the henna mixture.

SAFETY FIRST!  

  • Avoid henna with any chemicals added.
  • Avoid henna without listed ingredients.
  • Avoid any "black henna" that lasts more than a day or two or is jet black.
  • NEVER henna infants.
  • Only henna children over 8 years old.
  • Avoid doing henna on adults with Hyperbilirubinemia or G6PD.
  • Review your henna ingredients with every client.
  • If doing henna on sensitive clients use mild ingredients and oils, such as lavender oil.

Back To Top

 

Yes!  We have a Store!
Beachcombers Bazaar
College Park Shopping District
2525 Edgewater Dr
Orlando, FL  32804


Henna Products:  Paste & Powder   s    Henna Products:  Color Henna   s   Henna Products:  Henna Accessories & Tools
Easy-To-Use Starter Henna Kits   s    Powder Henna Kits   s    Premixed Paste Kits   s    Color Henna Kits

Beachcombers! has all your mehndi tattoo needs for the art of henna, even for the beginner.
Copyright ©2006-09 ShopBeachcombers.com, Inc.  Including but not limited to all pictures, text, and PDF files.  All rights reserved.   To request permission of use contact ShopBeachcombers.com, Inc.