Bali - warning for henna tattoos

Scores of people returning from Bali, including young children, have reported serious skin conditions requiring medical attention, after getting henna tattoos.

Testing at West Australia’s ChemCentre shows the black henna used for the tattoos has tested positive for high levels of an allergen known to cause severe dermatitis.

The chemical, p-Phenylenediamine (PPD) is banned for use in skin coloration products in Australia. A leading Australian dermatologist, Rosemary Dixon, explained that the “black henna” is not henna at all. “PPD is often mixed with a solvent like kerosene which facilitates it getting into the skin and increases sensitization”, she said.

One reaction is enough to set off a lifelong allergy to products containing PPD, including hair dyes and even clothing dyes. “The darker it is, the more PPD it contains,” explained a colleague of the Australasian College of Dermatologists, Ernest Tan who went on to echo warnings on the Australian Government’s website, smarttraveller.gov.au, urging tourists to avoid tattoos in Bali.

Despite the fact that many tattoo artists encourage a skin patch test first, this proves useless as it may take days or even weeks for the reactions to become apparent.

Source: The West Australian

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