Henna Tattoos

Henna Tattoo
The origin of henna tattoo was during the Bronze Age in the eastern Mediterranean. The women put on henna tattoos when they were welcoming their husbands for they believe that the intricate designs are for luck, joy and beauty. It was noted that it was the women who have a lot of henna tattoos than the men, however there may be lack of evidence to prove otherwise. During the 1990’s, the use of henna on skin spread worldwide. It was called the ‘Night of the Henna’. Since then, where there is joy, there is henna.
Henna tattoos are used in place of real tattoos. It is a non-permanent dying or staining of the skin with the use of a henna paste called Menhdi or Mehendi. This paste is from the Henna plant, which is a shrub indigenous to parts of Australia and Africa. Henna paste is made of dried and ground henna leaves with filtered powder. Oils, most preferably eucalyptus oil, is added afterwards. Other liquids like lemon, water or tea are added in the mix by some henna artists to create a thick paste. This may appear to be black but when looking at it closely, one will find that it isn’t.
A component of the henna dye called hennotanic acid, does not pass through the dermis but only stains the dead cells. This is applied topically, usually on the hands and feet with the use of a cone, sticks or a paintbrush making it painless. The stains are darker and stay longer on thicker skin, like the palms of the hand and the soles of the feet, than on thinner skin. Color may also vary depending on the location of the henna tattoo and the way the person cares for it.
There are two kinds of henna: the natural henna and black henna. Natural henna paste is greenish and smells like spinach or hay bale. Henna artists may add natural oils or herbs to spice up their fragrance and darken the color. These usually take 6-12 hours to stay on the skin and produce a brown/orange/red color. Natural henna fades naturally within 2-4 weeks but one may also use hydrogen peroxide on the area daily.
On the other hand, black henna paste is deep black or grayish. It is left to stay on the skin for 1-2 hours. Black henna is pre-mixed henna and is avoided because this contains dye p-Phenylenediamine (PPD) to darken stain or to change color. It is harmful to the skin since it penetrates the dermis and blocks the circulation and causes allergic reactions resulting to permanent injury or death. This has not been approved in the US but is approved in South Asia, Middle East, North Africa and Somalia. To check for allergies, apply a small amount of dye on your skin.