Hit at the seaside and in the mountains. GIS warns. Such a “holiday souvenir” may end with scars

Henna tattoos are a real hit not only in seaside resorts. You can find stands where you can get them done in almost every tourist town, including in the mountains. Despite the name, most of these decorations have nothing to do with henna. Henna is a natural plant dye obtained from the shoots and leaves of the defenseless Lawsonia. It is red, ginger or dark brown, depending on the addition of other coloring herbs. In India, henna is used to make traditional decorations, mehendi. Such decorations stay on the skin from several days to even several weeks. What we can find, for example, above , is “black henna”, an artificial dye. And it is better to be careful with it.

A washable tattoo by the sea is not always a good idea. GIS warns

The Chief Sanitary Inspectorate warns to pay attention to the composition of the product used to make the decorations. The lack of any information should raise awareness. Dyes used for tattoos should be approved for use in cosmetic products. These are usually marked with Colour Index numbers (CI and a series of numbers). GIS warns not to use dyes containing p-Phenylenediamine (PPD) for washable tattoos, the presence of which “in products intended for use on the skin is unacceptable”. PPD is only permitted in paints for .

Is a Henna Tattoo Safe? Beware of “Black Henna”

It is paraphenyldiamine that is most often responsible for serious skin reactions after temporary tattoos. Swelling, swelling, redness, fever and burning may occur. In the worst cases of a delayed allergic reaction, blisters may also appear, which after a few days will turn into festering ulcers on the skin. The effect? ​​Instead of a souvenir that will disappear after a few weeks, you will be left with a hospital visit, skin problems and scars.

What to do if you notice an adverse reaction? See a doctor as soon as possible, and in the case of severe symptoms, go to hospital. If they appear after using a cosmetic product, GIS advises reporting it to the Institute of Occupational Medicine. To avoid problems, avoid henna and dyes of unknown origin. Give up black temporary tattoos and those made of natural henna, if you have had a strong allergic reaction after previous contact with herbal dye or other cosmetics, you have pigment changes or scars on your skin.