Black Henna – There is no such thing !
Black henna does not exist.
PPD, a highly toxic and dangerous chemical that colours black, is often added to henna sold as “black henna”.
Henna does not come in fixed shades and colours. Henna is a plant. It’s dried, powdered, leaves produce a dull yellow green powder which, when mixed with water, produces a dull green colour paste. This paste looks shiny brown underneath a greenish surface after a few minutes. This mud is called henna paste.
When henna paste is applied to grey hair and white hair, and when it is applied to skin, it produces an orange colour stain. Other hair colours will slightly deepen in colour according to whatever the starting colour is.
Henna can turn hair orange, red, and auburn, and brown and black when used in conjunction with indigo. However, on skin, pure henna will only ever turn orange or deep brown with rust tones. It will never turn black.
Beware PPD Beach Burn : The Black Henna Myth
The truth is that there is no such thing as “black henna” or any natural fixed shade of henna. There is only one henna plant and its scientific, botanical, name is lawsonia inermis. It produces an orange red dye colour and nothing else, unless it’s mixed with something else.
The question is whether that something else is natural or chemical ? “Chemical” spells danger and even death. PPD is chemical.
Unfortunately, the real danger of the black henna myth lies in wait every year on the beaches in hot sunny climes where, so often, seemingly pure and innocent “henna tatoos” are available. Please: DON’T DO IT ! Read on.
Gong on Holiday ?
This is something that all holiday makers should be aware of. No one should have to risk horrific PPD injuries on holiday, or at home. If you are going somewhere warm this year, chance are you’ll end up on a beach or in a market offering a “natural” henna tattoo. Ask how long it takes to colour the skin. Anything under 30 mins is likely PPD contaminated “henna”, and even if it takes over 30 mins, our advice remains avoid it unless you are 100% satisfied that the ingredients are pure henna with nothing harmful added to it. Pure henna is : lawsonia inermis leaf powder and has nothgin added to it to make it stain. It stains skin orange red. It does not stain black.
Tap the links which shockingly highlight the hazards of PPD in black henna and in hair dye :
http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/health/doctors-warn-of-black-henna-risk
http://www.snopes.com/horrors/vanities/henna.asp
http://blogingchica.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/dangers-of-black-henna.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1934496.stm
http://dermnetnz.org/dermatitis/paraphenylenediamine-allergy.html
Beware hair dye with PPD in it. Never get a black henna tatoo whilst on holiday, or anywhere else !
The Dangers of Permanent Hair Dye : Paraphenylene Diamene (PPD) Hair Dyes
Watch Out !
Lots of henna for hair is sold in plastic bags or in boutique style boxes with beautiful faces sporting beautiful hair on the front. Always check the ingredients are listed. If you see anything other than “lawsonia inermis” added to the ingredients then it’s not 100% pure henna. If the ingredients are not listed, don’t trust it. If other ingredients are listed, check what they are before assessing if they are natural and safe..
And watch out for the brightly coloured green powders that have colour dye particles added to make them look fresh and enticing. Anything added to pure henna dye for hair – apart from other pure & non chemical ingredients – contaminates it.
Also watch out for those cute little death trap bouquet garni type white cotton bags full of black PPD crystals. Popular in Turkey and surrounding countries, it’s quite common to see people of all ages using these pouches to achieve darkest black in their hair and on their eyebrows.It’s concerning that something so dangerous is marketed as something so safe and natural. It couldn’t be further from the truth . PPD dyes will weaken your hair and damage your health. Black henna can kill.
Stay safe. Know Henna ! (click)
