![]() |
|||
|
Home |
Warning Information Persons who become allergic to PPD may also demonstrate allergy to significant medically necessary medications (diabetic medications, hypertensive medications and anesthetics), in addition to hair dye and dyes used in clothing. Health care providers should be aware of this adulteration of henna (which is brown) by PPD and warn patients and parents of the possibility of this long lasting allergy, which includes both anaphylactic and delayed types of allergy. Furthermore, PPD can have detrimental and permanent skin adverse effects (such as blisters, pigment changes and scarring). Heath care providers should carefully evaluate patients in whom reactions have occurred and provide educational information, so that persons do not receive these black henna applications in the future. Background A recent increase in pediatric consumers using PPD-adulterated henna for temporary tattoos has likewise come with an increase in serious cutaneous inflammatory and scarring reactions. In addition to scarring, there is the potential for persons sensitized to PPD to have lifelong allergic intolerance of dyes in hair products, rubber chemicals, inks and textile dyes and to some medications to treat hypertension and diabetes (e.g. hydrochlorothiazide and sulfonylureas). To draw attention to the practice of PPD-henna tattooing, the journal Dermatitis, official journal of the American Contact Dermatitis Society (ACDS), named PPD as the “Allergen of the Year” in 2007. Despite this, the temporary tattooing practice continues to flourish, unregulated. Health Canada, the federal department responsible for helping Canadians maintain their health, has alerted its citizens to avoid “black henna” temporary tattoo ink and paste containing PPD. Section 16 of their Food and Drugs Act prevents the sale of cosmetics that may harm the consumer, including “black henna” temporary tattoos containing PPD. The Scientific Committee on Cosmetic Products and Non-Food Products (SCCPNFP) has assessed the use of PPD and similar chemicals as hair coloring agents, and made appropriate recommendations on the use concentrations, restrictions, and warnings for such application in the European Community Cosmetics Directive. This states that “When PPD and similar chemicals are used for skin staining (temporary tattoos), active sensitisation may occur within a few weeks, and the reactions can be very severe. Pigmentary variegation may persist for a prolonged period following such reactions. The sensitisation will be life long.” Notably “The SCCNFP is of the opinion that PPD and similar chemicals should not be used in skin stains (temporary tattoos).” The American Academy of Dermatology, American Contact Dermatitis Society, and the Society for Pediatric Dermatology endorse the ban set forth by the Food and Drug Administration that paraphenylenediamine should not be applied to the skin and recommend that the practice of applying paraphenylenediamine-adulterated henna tattoos to the skin be stopped.Patient InformationTake two minutes to examine your skin now! Learn how to examine your skin so you can detect melanoma early. Note: Thanks to the Melanoma International Foundation for use of this video and Martin Weinstock, PhD, MD, creator of the video (with the American Cancer Society).
|
||