The Medical Advice
The NHS warns against getting ‘black henna’ or ‘neutral henna’ tattoos that are readily available abroad. That’s because the dye used can contain highly toxic levels of a chemical called paraphenylenediamine (PPD), which is commonly used in hair dyes. Having a black-henna tattoo can cause a life-threatening allergic reaction and leave you scarred for life. Black henna differs to ‘real’ henna which is safe to use and tends to be an orange colour, with a red or brown tint.