Hope you're ready to commit to that swirly twirly "temporary" tattoo you got at the beach on spring break. Some shops advertising "henna" tattoos actually use something called black henna, which may contain a chemical used in hair dye that can cause some dramatic skin reactions, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises consumers in a post published today.
The FDA has received consumer reports of some long-lasting skin reactions after a black henna tattoo, including redness, blisters, "raised red weeping lesions" (yikes), loss of pigmentation, increased sensitivity to sunlight, and in some cases, permanent scarring. Your skin freak-out may happen right after the tattoo is applied, or up to two or three weeks later.
http://bodyodd.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/0 ... scars?lite
Consumer beware and do your homework. Don't be afraid to ask the place what they use and for a maybe a test area to see if you have a problem. Better yet, don't bother getting one in the first place.