Exploring the Black Henna

If you are an Indian, Pakistani or Arabic bride that is about to get married soon, then you would be naturally be expecting to have mehndi designs on your hands and legs as your wedding day approaches. Henna tattoos are in reality not only popular in the communities as mentioned above, but has also emerged as highly desirable designs to have on bodies of brides in other parts of the world as well. Wedding mehndi is thus one of the most highly-utilized body arts in the world today, and when you consider the beauty and the elegance that emanate from these mehndi designs, little wonder why they are so

popular.

Having mehndi on your hand is without doubt appealing and attractive, but how does one make sure that the mehndi that you have on your hands and legs is safe and hazard-free. Black henna is probably the most popular type of henna out there, but how does one ensure that the black henna that you usually purchase from stores out there is safe? The safest way to tackle this problem is to make the henna yourself, but not many people out there know how to, and it would prove to be a time-consuming effort as well. Thus they end up purchasing ready-made henna, some that may not be actually made from the henna plant or leaves. Some of them are actually created with PPD, also known as para-phenylenediamine.

This substance is in reality black hair dye, and some individuals (and even companies) use PPD to create black henna. Unfortunately PPD can cause allergic reactions on one's skin, with side-effects such as itchiness, rashes, blistering and even permanent scarring reported in some cases. Using pure henna leaves to create henna would not create this complication, nevertheless when you add PPD, these allergic reactions could be expected if you have sensitive skin.

For those visiting tourist areas, you should be beware of those selling black henna with PPD incorporated within it. Usually the reaction to the skin happens after three days only, by then you would have left the area that you were visiting, and no one else would be accountable to your allergic reaction but you. Most western countries prohibit PPD usage on the skin, and even in hair dyes the composition should be less than 6%. Thus when you are finding for black henna, ensure that you obtain fully-natural black henna, or one that does not contain PPD. Safety first!