Now, those people who say henna can not cause a reaction and then suddenly one day, out of the blue, boom! Well, let’s just say these individuals aren’t well-versed in the way allergic reactions work. The allergic reaction (histamine release, immune system stimulation) is more than likely happening from the VERY FIRST time you use a product containing PPDs (or any other allergen, for that matter) and it’s only until the allergic reaction reaches a critical mass that you have severe enough symptoms to take full notice of them. Hardly any allergic reaction happens the first time you use or ingest something. It’s almost always a case of repeated exposure.

Early allergic symptoms are really important. A general feeling of being unwell, an achey feeling, even excessive urination can be the only signs of histamine release in the body after exposure. The trouble is that the reactions can either lessen with more exposure so that you never realize your body is effectively using it’s defense weapons to thwart the allergen, or if you’re unlucky, your immune system will become overwhelmed exponentially with continued use and it can kill you. That’s called anaphylaxis and it’s incredibly rare. Blood pressure drops and the airway swells as histamine is release and a cytokine storm develops in the lungs and upper airway.

So, no allergies happen “all of a sudden.” You might not have any signs, but monitor yourself closely for any strange symptoms (even those traditionally non-allergic in nature) every time you expose yourself repeatedly to a product like hair color. Chances are in the vast majority that you will NEVER have a serious allergic reaction.

Para-phenylenediamine is a strong sensitizer.
Sensitizer means that every body is naturally allergic to PPD to some degree, and every time the PPD is used, the body will react more violently to it. Some people have PPD tattoos once or twice without reaction. But on the 3rd or 4th time, that same person could end up with permanent scarring or end up in the hospital in a life threatening reaction. There can also be sensitization to other products. So after having a PPD tattoo without reaction, you could a week later react severely to: cosmetics, lotions, sunscreen, medications, black clothing, ink, dark leather, etc..

PPD is carcinogenic & causes many other health problems!
Within seconds the toxins from PPD ‘henna’ enter the blood stream and can cause: Cancer, liver tumors, asthma, angioneurotic edema, renal failure, mutated cells, muscle necrosis causing death, permanent scarring, chronic skin conditions, eye & face irritation, bronchitis, etc…
When PPD breaks down in the body, the metabolic residue is more damaging than the actual PPD molecule.

PPD has a delayed reaction:
Typically, a person won’t react until 3 – 10 days after having a PPD tattoo applied. Usually by this time the negligent artist has moved on, unaccountable to the damage caused & the person fails to make the connection between the PPD and reaction.

How to tell if it’s PPD ‘Black Henna’
1. If you can watch first & see that the paste is black & stains the skin right away, it’s PPD.
2. Ask how long the paste needs to stay on. If they say less than 1 hr, it’s not real henna.
3. Ask them what colour it will stain. If they say black instead of red-brown, it’s not henna.
4. Ask the artist what’s in the paste. If they can’t tell you, don’t trust them.
For your safety & the health of others, please report anyone using illegal PPD “Black Henna”