Beware black hair dye in henna tattoo

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http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/l...h/14469118.htm

Question: I was at a weekend festival that had a henna tattoo artist. I thought it might be fun to get a henna tattoo, since they're not permanent. My girlfriend talked me out of it because she said that it might make me allergic to hair dye. Is that true?

A: Yes, but only if those tattoos are black. That's because some henna-tattoo artists are mixing in black hair dye that contains paraphenylenediamine - "PPD" for short. Pure henna tattoos are typically green, the color of the powdered henna leaves, although natural additives may be combined to make them yellow or orange.

Why add black hair dye to a henna tattoo? It gives the tattoo a much darker appearance, speeds drying, and makes the tattoo last longer. The problem is that PPD in the concentrations used for tattoos can trigger an allergic reaction on the skin that may make you highly allergic to PPD dye forever.

If that occurs, you'll be allergic to all dark hair dyes - anything that contains the PPD compound. For those affected by a PPD allergy, future hair-color options are natural gray or blond.

The bottom line: Natural henna plant dye is generally quite safe, but stay away from black henna tattoos.