Allowing your kid to receive a henna tattoo while on vacation or prior to a fun event may be alluring. After all, it isn't as if you are getting a permanent makeup tattoo. Indeed, you do not have to be on vacation in a tropical place in order to receive a henna tattoo. Numerous drug stores sell henna body art kits that enable your teen to create a henna tattoo in the privacy of his or her own home. Kits include henna paste, and teens may apply their own tattoos.
While a temporary tattoo may appear to be harmless fun—after all, henna is frequently touted as natural—there are some potential hazards. Before allowing your teen to get a henna tattoo from an expert permanent makeup tattoo artist, educate yourself about the risks.
What Exactly Is Henna?
Henna is a tiny shrub with flowers. The dried henna leaves are ground into a fine powder. This powder can be used to temporarily color hair or stain the skin. For thousands of years, henna body art has been used to beautify women's bodies in a variety of ceremonies. In some places of the world, it is still used in religious ceremonies or worn by brides during weddings.
Tattoos using Henna
Tattoos are frequently detailed in design. Often, they begin with the hand and work their way up and down both arms. It's critical to understand that henna tattoos are not technically “tattoos.” Henna is used to stain the skin exclusively. A henna tattoo will fade over time, often between two and four weeks, depending on the type of henna applied.
Because henna is nearly impossible to remove except via natural fading if you allow your teen to have a henna tattoo, be prepared for it to last a long time. However, some people claim that the daily application of hydrogen peroxide to the area will accelerate the fading process. However, the outcomes are somewhat mixed.
Is Henna Tattooing a Safe Practice?
In the United States, the FDA has not yet approved henna as a skin coloring. It is solely FDA-approved for use as a hair dye. That is not to say that henna cannot be used to create tattoos. Henna tattoos are widely offered at fairgrounds, pharmacies, and other retail establishments.
The FDA has warned that some people may develop severe skin reactions after receiving a henna tattoo. The FDA's website states that “reported side effects include redness, blisters, elevated red weeping lesions, loss of pigmentation, increased sensitivity to sunlight, and potentially permanent scarring.”
It's also worth noting that certain stains are marketed as henna. They are frequently brightly colored, such as blue, green, yellow, or purple. However, authentic henna is orange, red, or brown in hue. It is unknown how these stains may impact the skin, and the quality of the materials employed to create them is likely to vary significantly.
