Henna Tattoos and Present Day Dangers

Abstract

Henna tattooing is an ancient skin adornment custom that has recently gained popularity as a temporary and painless alternative to permanent tattoos. While pure henna is relatively safe, the vast majority of modern temporary tattoos have the additive p-phenylenediamine (PPD), a highly sensitizing compound. With the increasing popularity of temporary tattoos, the purpose of this editorial is to explore this epidemic and the skin complications that have skyrocketed to epidemic proportions in its wake.