Black henna
Also called: PPD henna and Black mehndi
A paste sold as henna that stains the skin black quickly; it is usually not henna at all but a hair-dye chemical called PPD, a known cause of serious skin reactions.
Natural henna stains red brown and takes a day or two to darken. A paste that gives a jet black design within an hour is almost always coloured with paraphenylenediamine, PPD, a hair-dye chemical put on the skin in black henna at high strength and left there for hours.
PPD on the skin is a known cause of serious reactions: burning and blistering in the shape of the design, scarring that can be permanent, and a lasting sensitisation that means hair dye and some other products can trigger a severe reaction for life. Reactions can appear days later, and children are affected as well as adults.
The safe rule is simple: do not use black henna, on yourself or on a child, anywhere. Ask any artist what is in her paste, and treat a black result or a chemical smell as a reason to stop. This is general information, not medical advice: if a design starts to burn or blister, wash it off and see a doctor.
Hamd Beauty does not offer black henna. Ask what is in the paste before any henna booking, with us or anyone else.
We do not offer this at present. It is explained here because people ask about it.
