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PPD Henna Tattoos Can Cause Permanent Scars
11/05/08 - 05:32 PM

WMBB News Department

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Temporary henna tattoos have always been a popular trend for people who don’t want body art that lasts. But unfortunately for some, an additive in the dye can cause serious allergic reactions.

The textile dye paraphenylenediamine (PPD) is a common industrial allergen and can be found in some temporary tattoo inks.  It is used to make the temporary tattoo turn black, which makes it look more like a real permanent tattoo. But for many people, that temporary tattoo turns into a permanent scar. The Director of the Bay County Health Department, Dr. Jason Newsom, says, “to achieve that black or dark blue color, they have to add an additive called PPD, and it’s the additive PPD that is the corporate component that causes the scarring and the allergic reaction.”

Dr. Newsom is working with Bay County Commission Attorneys to come up with an ordinance that will prevent young people from receiving PPD tattoos. As well as let adults know that there could be permanent consequences to their temporary tattoo.

A report from the State Health Department shows seven recorded cases of infection from Bay County in 2008, four in 2007, and eight in 2006. While that number may seem small, that’s 19 people, most of them children, who will have their temporary tattoo scarred on their body for the rest of their lives.

For more information - check out this Baylor University Medical Center Article: Type IV hypersensitivity reaction to a temporary tattoo