Thread: Henna tattoo warning

A MERRIWA mum wants to warn families visiting Bali during the school holidays to avoid people peddling “harmless” henna tattoos after her nine-year-old son had a serious reaction to one.
Cheryl Mollross said her son Liam had the temporary tattoo applied to his chest while they were on the beach on Saturday June 12, but on the plane home the next day, he started complaining of discomfort.

“I had a look and tried not to panic him, but the whole area around the tattoo had come up in painful, itchy blisters,” she said.

Mrs Mollross took Liam, who celebrated his ninth birthday last Friday, to a doctor where he was given antibiotics.

“They didn’t help so I ended up having to take him to the emergency room at Joondalup Hospital on Tuesday,” she said.

“The specialist told me tattooists often add a chemical (phenylenediamine) to the henna so that it dries quicker and that is what probably caused the reaction.”

The hospital gave Liam steroid cream, and Mrs Mollross said the improvement had been amazing.

However, she said parents should think twice before letting their children get a henna tattoo.

“People kept coming up to us offering us the tattoos like they were selling sarongs or souvenirs,” she said.

“I would advise people not to get any tattoos done while they are in Bali because it is really not worth the risk.”

Henna tattoo leads to emergency department visit - Local news - inMyCommunity - Perth, Western Australia

Originally Posted by balinews

A MERRIWA mum wants to warn families visiting Bali during the school holidays to avoid people peddling “harmless” henna tattoos after her nine-year-old son had a serious reaction to one.
Cheryl Mollross said her son Liam had the temporary tattoo applied to his chest while they were on the beach on Saturday June 12, but on the plane home the next day, he started complaining of discomfort.

“I had a look and tried not to panic him, but the whole area around the tattoo had come up in painful, itchy blisters,” she said.

Mrs Mollross took Liam, who celebrated his ninth birthday last Friday, to a doctor where he was given antibiotics.

“They didn’t help so I ended up having to take him to the emergency room at Joondalup Hospital on Tuesday,” she said.

“The specialist told me tattooists often add a chemical (phenylenediamine) to the henna so that it dries quicker and that is what probably caused the reaction.”

The hospital gave Liam steroid cream, and Mrs Mollross said the improvement had been amazing.

However, she said parents should think twice before letting their children get a henna tattoo.

“People kept coming up to us offering us the tattoos like they were selling sarongs or souvenirs,” she said.

“I would advise people not to get any tattoos done while they are in Bali because it is really not worth the risk.”

Henna tattoo leads to emergency department visit - Local news - inMyCommunity - Perth, Western Australia

That was so sad since my nephews always wanted to have henna on their arms and back. I also wonder if the danger applies to those who have no allergic reaction to that chemical or does that chemical harm any type of skin.

My boys ( now adults and both from Melbourne) and all their mates who have visited Bali over the past 20 years have had literally hundreds of henna tatoos and not one have ever had an allergic reaction. Your nephews will have more danger stubbing their toes and getting an infection and ending up on antibiotics than this ambulance chasing article suggests!

Crikey let the boys have some fun.

Hope that helps Jesse.

BTW - wait till they start hiring motorbikes without mum and dad knowing as 16yo's - then you have something to worry about

"My boys ( now adults and both from Melbourne) and all their mates who have visited Bali over the past 20 years have had literally hundreds of henna tatoos and not one have ever had an allergic reaction. Your nephews will have more danger stubbing their toes and getting an infection and ending up on antibiotics than this ambulance chasing article suggests! "

In reply:

Dasha as a medico the affects of phenylenediamine can be quite dramatic to some people, as it is absorbed into your system. I would never suggest a 9 yr old boy get anything plastered onto his skin, unless I knew it was safe. Same as hair dyes the packet states do a test first before applying. How many of users do that one!!!!!

Glad that he has now recovered

Got any kids Peggy?

Peggy is right. My daughter had similar problem in Bali. Henna does react badly to some skin kinds...and so does Haircolour.

Originally Posted by Vin

Peggy is right. My daughter had similar problem in Bali. Henna does react badly to some skin kinds...and so does Haircolour.

Well, that's a general fact for common Henna but I think Peggy was referring to the particular henna with some sort of chemical in it being used in some Bali beach resorts.

@Dasha... No harm in being careful, especially in Bali. Peggy having kids or not, isn't the point!

Allergic reactions to henna are very rare, but if it's mixed with paraphenylenediamine (PPD), then it can be a problem. So, generally it's not the henna, it's what they mix with it, whether to make it dry quicker, or to make it cheaper.

My son and my niece (12 & 11years) both had henna done about 2 years ago. My son was fine but my niece now has a permanent scar from the tattoo on her arm. BE CAREFUL...... it may turn out to be a permanent tattoo as was our case.

Originally Posted by Jesse

That was so sad since my nephews always wanted to have henna on their arms and back. I also wonder if the danger applies to those who have no allergic reaction to that chemical or does that chemical harm any type of skin.

Ive done henna eversince I was a kid, paint my own in my hand. and my singaporean friend came to bali and henna her whole body and spend 1mill for the henna only, didnt even get any itches a lil bit.

I think its depend on how clean is the henna.