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17 July 2017Belli, painless and above all "on time". Henna tattoos are a strong temptation every summer, especially for children and adolescents, a practice that actually has very ancient origins in eastern countries and northern Africa. But to reveal the risk to our children's skin is a study carried out by the University of Perugia, recently published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. "The use of temporary henna tattoos - emphasizes Professor Susanna Esposito, full professor at the University of Perugia and president of the World Association for Infectious Diseases and Immunological Disorders, WAidid - is now a very fashionable trend widespread in our country especially in the summer. Tattoos seem harmless but are not.From scientific evidence it emerges, in fact, that the substance called para-phenylenediamine (Ppd) which is often added to natural henna to obtain a darker color long-lasting, due to its molecular characteristics it can induce skin sensitization with various clinical manifestations at re-exposures, among which the most common is allergic contact dermatitis.In people allergic to the compound, in particular, temporary tattooing can trigger violent reactions with swelling and redness, while in those with very sensitive and delicate skin it can give rise to a milder irritative dermatitis, but just as annoying". According to the findings, in 50% of the cases examined henna tattoos cause cutaneous manifestations such as itching, erythema, blisters and blisters, urticaria, or systemic reactions such as lymphadenopathy and fever within one or two days of the first application; in the remaining 50%, on the other hand, the symptoms appear only after a retouching - thus showing a cutaneous sensitization to the para-phenylenediamine (Ppd) present in the old - up to 72 hours from the execution of the tattoo. So in a WAidid release.

The need for long-term therapies is another factor that emerges from the study: in most cases, the persistence of the lesions was found even at 7 days from the beginning of therapy with cortisone and antihistamines and a persistent skin dyschromia was observed even after 4 weeks from the end of therapy. If certainly it comes to the resolution of the itching and an improvement of the skin lesions, in all the cases, according to the emerged data, to a year of distance a cutaneous hypopigmentation is found on the zone dedicated to the tattoo. On the other hand, para-phenylenediamine (Ppd) is one of the most powerful contact allergens. It is a dark blue dye currently prohibited, according to European legislation, for cosmetic use with the exception of hair dyes for which it is allowed at low concentrations, up to 6%. In addition to this restriction, warnings are always indicated on the label, such as "May cause an allergic reaction", "Contains phenylenediamine", "For professional use", "Use suitable gloves", "Do not use to dye eyelashes and eyebrows ". "Sensitization to Ppd - warns Susanna Esposito - is a growing phenomenon in children and adolescents.

Exposure to henne tattoos in which Ppd may be present in unknown or high concentrations appears to be the most common cause. After sensitization, patients may experience severe clinical symptoms when they are re-exposed to substances that contain or react with Ppd, and may exhibit persistent hypopigmentation. Given the widespread use of this substance, it is better to be cautious considering that there are many young people who buy kits sold online, without any guarantee, or rely on improvised tattooists on beaches that use poor and potentially risky materials ".