Black henna temporary tattoos, which are popular in tourist spots for young buyers, may lead to side effects that last longer than anticipated, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
Side effect risks of a black henna tattoo range from skin redness and blisters to red weeping lesions and permanent scarring, according to the FDA.
“You should really know where you’re getting it from,” said junior Bhanu Pulikonda who prefers to use homemade henna. “Because some places can be real rip offs or unsafe.”
Black henna is made by a substance called paraphenylenediamine or PPD, which is found in many hair dyes, according to the online article “How safe are ‘black henna’ tattoos?” by Dr. Chris Flower (September 2015).
Some students believe that the ink mixture should remain natural and the chemicals take away from the custom.
“I think that henna should stay plant based only because it’s associated with beautiful cultural traditions,” junior Mary Schmelter said. “It shouldn’t be dangerous.”
Some states are yet to place regulations governing temporary tattoos according to the online article “FDA: Beware of ‘black henna’ tattoos” by Brady Dennis (March 2013).
Traditional henna which is a cultural practice, usually used for specific occasions, is made primarily from a shrub called Lawsonia inermis.
Pulikonda said that people should use traditional henna “instead of taking chances”.