The Temporary Tattoo – Henna Body Art, Could be Unsafe for YOU

Could anything be better than having an elegant, trendy and unique temporary tattoo during your hot wild summer beach vacation?

There seems to be a rising popularity for henna body art these days. Not only when you take a holiday in India or Middle-east, we frequently see henna artist at carnivals and local craft markets. As a non-permanent tattoo and usually done with sophisticated patterns, people see it as a more bohemian version of body painting.

Henna paste is produced from the henna tree leaves mixed with essential oils. The earliest record of this art form has been observed from the late Bronze Age in eastern Mediterranean countries, which dates to around 1400 BC. Associated with marriage and fertility, girls mark their bodies with henna to be presented to their husbands. The purpose of henna art has since changed and everyone can now enjoy a little bit of culture.

A lot people say that henna is 100% safe to use on skin. This is simply NOT TRUE!!

Traditional henna is a mild irritant, it is mostly safe to use but can trigger severe hemolytic crisis (a spontaneous destruction of red blood cells) in people with G6PD (Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) deficiency.

What is G6PD Deficiency?

G6PD is an enzyme that protects the red blood cells, a deficiency will cause severe anemia (decrease in red blood cell). This deficiency is a hereditary disease, usually passes through the genes from either parent to the child. Since this deficiency is carried by the X-chromosome, it is more common in males as they only have one X-chromosome in their genome. Females experience a lesser chance for the deficiency to manifest as they can rely on the other normal X-chromosome to produce the G6PD enzyme.

Cases of G6PD deficiency mainly concentrates in the Middle East and North Africa. Infants with hyperbilirubinemia (too much bilirubin in their blood-level) are also susceptible to henna with fatal results as it also causes hemolysis.

As a result, children born in countries with henna art culture are screen from birth for these deficiencies. It is also recommended that, young children should refrain from henna tattooing to avoid any risks.

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Also Read, via CER:

Black or Brown - Henna's Color Review its Level of Poisonous Source and Further Information:

Zinkham, W.H. and Oski, F.A. Henna: A potential cause of Oxidative Hemolysis and Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia, http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/97/5/707.full.pdf