Somewhere on your travels during spring break, did any of your kids talk you into letting them get a henna tattoo? I’ve written about the dangers of conventional tattoos and managed to “forbid” my own children from getting any (due to the risk of infection, hepatitis, etc.) and I try to do the same with patients. I also discourage tattoos since they’re permanent — unless you want to go through the pain and expense of laser removal later in life.
That being said, I’ve always recommended that kids/teens “just get a henna tattoo.” You can find people to do henna tattoos all over the place, and certainly at many spring break beach destinations, vendors create cute henna tattoos on kids all day long. The process seems easy, harmless, painless, and the tattoos are often attractive — for the short term.
Well, I just read an interesting article in the journal Skin discussing several cases of allergic reaction to henna tattoos. These cases were all among teens who’d gotten henna tattoos while on vacation, then developed localized skin reactions around the designs. The reactions varied from intense itching to redness and tenderness overlying the tattoo. In one case, the area actually blistered, while in another, the “dragon tattoo” became hyper-pigmented almost like a true tattoo, secondary to the allergic reaction.
The article explained that the paste typically used by henna tattoo artists is not pure henna. Usually, different agents are added to the paste to help darken the color. One addition may be a compound called PPD, which is actually one of the most frequent contact allergens around. PPD is also found in most hair dyes.
There have been probably been millions of henna tattoos applied without problems. The literature only reports “more than 100 cases of contact dermatitis due to temporary tattoos.” In light of this stat, I think the chance of developing an allergic reaction to a beachside henna tattoo is pretty rare. But, if your child does seem to have skin problems around such a tattoo, this could be the reason.
(Dr. Sue Hubbard is a nationally known pediatrician and co-host of “The Kid’s Doctor” radio show. Submit questions at
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