Did you ever think that applying a henna tattoo could cost you your arm? An Aussie woman came very close to it after a visit to Egypt turned into a nightmare. Last year in Egypt, Brooke Crannaford was holidaying when she decided to get a henna tattoo in the city of Aswan, on the Nile River in Egypt. The decision proved costly, as she almost lost her arm after the henna reacted with her skin. Boy Burnt By Black Henna Tattoo May Need Skin Grafting Surgery.

Brooke decided to get the $5 body art from a local woman in the city of Aswan. She could have never imagined that her intention to beautify her hands will lead to such a dangerous result. Her hands and fevers were severely burnt and she was diagnosed with cellulitis, a bacterial infection that could lead to death. She kept her wound covered for three weeks and returned to work after four weeks.

Side-Effects of Heena Tattoos on Skin

According to July, 2013  study published in the journal Contact Dermatitis, black henna is the combination of red henna with p-phenylenediamine (PPD), and is used for temporary 'black henna tattoos'. The presence of paraphenylenediamine in henna can cause severe damage to the skin if applied in incorrect doses.

Red henna may not suit a few people as it can lead to contact allergy and type I hypersensitivity reactions. Black henna tattoos give rise to contact allergy to its ingredient PPD at an estimated frequency of 2.5 percent. Due to this, the patients may experience allergic contact dermatitis from the use of hair dyes containing PPD.

Brooke Crannaford case is not the only one; a little girl from the UK who was on Egypt tour in 2017 got pretty henna swirls on her forearms.  Later when she returned with her family to the UK she experienced itching where the tattoo was applied, which lead to a series of blisters. In the end, medics at a specialist burns unit had to intervene.

Henna tattoos are not safe, especially if it is contaminated with dyes. It's advisable to conduct a patch test before getting them done. Apply a small amount in the crook of the inner arm. If any itching, swelling or reddening is seen, you may be allergic to the henna.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 12, 2019 12:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).