Is using henna to dye your hair or get a tattoo safe?

The ancient Egyptians already knew henna as a vegetable dye and used it to dye their hair, nails and fingers. Nowadays, henna is still used in cosmetics, mainly for dyeing hair.

In other countries and cultures, such as Morocco or India, people often use henna on special occasions, for example at a wedding. They decorate their hands with ornate ornaments, often symbolic or ritually significant (painting mehndiin India, Pakistan and Bangladesh).

In our country you can also get henna tattoos or paint them yourself on your skin using stencils. Also There are establishments that offer tattoos at modest prices.

safe natural henna

The henna (lawsonia inermis) contains a pigment called lawson, responsible for the red-yellowish color. To apply it, the leaves are dried and ground into a powder.

In 2013 the European Union confirmed that henna, applied with traditional methods, it is safe for health. Experts expressly refer to pure and natural henna powder, which is used as a hair dye. To be sure that the preparation chosen is of quality and does not contain additives, you can opt for products with a natural or organic certification.

Hair dyes made from henna They color the hair permanently. To dye, the powder is mixed with boiling water to make a paste that is applied to the hair while it is still warm. The dough has a strong smell. There are also ready-to-use mixes.

For a lasting effect, the henna mixture should act up to two hours or more. The longer the exposure time, the more intense the result will be. During this time, the henna reacts with the proteins in the hair, the keratins, to achieve a permanent dye.

The result will be different shades of red depending on the type of hair, its own color and whether the hair was pre-treated with any other product.

Benefits of natural henna

Henna is not only a harmless dye, but it is also beneficial for hair. In traditional natural medicine, henna has antifungal properties which can be used to control dandruff and hair loss.

Henna also contains vitamin E, proteins and antioxidant compounds that protect the hair structure and keep it supple and soft.

And unsafe artificial “black henna”

Some “black henna” hair dyes mix it with a conventional and troublesome dye such as paraphenylenediamine (PPD). This artificially synthesized ingredient is an endocrine disruptor, it can cause allergic reactions. In short, “black henna” is not recommended.

The “black henna” It is also not recommended for temporary tattoos. due to its high allergenic risk, since it remains on the skin for a long time. It can cause itching, painful redness and swelling, symptoms of contact eczema.

In “black henna” skin decoration inks, PPD may be found in higher proportions than are permitted in hair dyes.

Skin reactions usually develop within two to ten days. Sometimes they even develop inflammations and open wounds, which heal very slowly. It is not uncommon for ugly scars, discoloration and increased light sensitivity of the skin to remain for the rest of life.

PPD allergy can also spread to other similar products found in cosmetics and textiles.

How to distinguish natural henna from “black henna”? Color is a good clue. Henna is red-orange. Black henna, as the name suggests, has a very dark color.