Page 36 - HAIR COLOUR

Black Henna:

There is no such natural plant that produces leaves to make black Henna,
in the sixties there was talk that if you mixed the vegetable dye indigo
with red Henna it was possible to produce a dark blue/black Henna.

Today because of the popularity of barbed wire tattoos, true black henna
was needed. Henna tattoo artists hit on the idea of mixing black hair dye
without oxidising it with hydrogen peroxide together with red Henna.

The idea was that if the hair dye was not oxidised it would not be
permanent. Very clever but they overlooked one very important point,
black hair dye contains Paraphenylenediamines or (PPD’S).

Many people are allergic to PPD’S which can have horrendous
consequences, areas where PPD’S have been applied can cause the skin
to swell become inflamed and split weeping blood and puss. In very
extreme cases, they can enter the blood stream and slow down breathing
resulting in death. Never use black Henna without first having a 48 hour
skin test. Fig 31.

Allergic Reaction to PPD’S Mixed With Black Henna.

(Fig 31.)

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