Temporary tattoos, permanent problems - Think Healthy

Temporary henna tattoos won't last a lifetime, but the allergies they may cause will. A leading European dermatologist has found that a bad reaction to paraphenylenediamine (PPD), a chemical used to make the natural red color in the tattoo dye more intense and faster-drying, might leave people with lifelong sensitivities.

"Ink that contains as little as 10 percent PPD can affect as many as 80 percent of temporary tattoo wearers," says Jorg Christoph Prinz, M.D., a dermatology professor at Munich University in Germany. Exposure can cause a cross-allergy to substances that contain similar compounds, including sunscreens, local anesthetics, cosmetics, black clothes, hair dyes and printing chemicals.

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