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Thursday, June 23, 2005
Kids stuck with Henna tattoos
By Lynda Murphy
A DISTRESSED Waterford mother has made an appeal to all parents travelling abroad this summer not to allow their children get henna ink tattoos in tourist sun spots.
Since her return from Salou, a popular Spanish resort, Ms. Evans, from Larchville, has had to bring her young son Jamie (2) to the doctor, along with his cousin Lorcan (5) after the ink left what are feared may be permanent marks on the children’s arms.
On the second day of their holiday, the two boys got excited when they saw other kids parading with their new “tattoos” and wanted to get them as well.
“Looking back on it now, I know I shouldn’t have allowed them because they are so young, but things are different when you are on holidays”, said the upset mother.
Jamie, who is a big fan of the Simpsons, got Bart imprinted on his arm, while Lorcan went for his idol, super hero Spiderman.
Towards the end of the holiday, the ink began to fade as expected, but two days after their return, the imprint of the designs were clearly visible on both the boys arms.
Naturally, Ms. Evans was alarmed when both boys were effected. If it was only one, it could have been an allergic reaction, but with both it must be something more sinister.
“The doctor has assured me that it is some kind of allergic reaction to the pigment in the skin and thankfully the boys are not in pain, but the worry was unbearable”, she said.
In fact, little Jamie is delighted with his marks and loves to show off his “real tattoo”.
Henna is a natural product, a plant, whose leaves are dried and ground to make the henna powder. The ingredient in henna that makes up the dye properties is called lawsome (lawsonia inermis).
Henna’s dye component, hennotannic acid, stains the dead cells in the skin to create the design.
After a week the designs usually fade and then disappear, but as is the case with Jamie and Lorcan, this can sometimes get more complicated.
Ms Evans has asked that all parents going on holidays stays clear of them to avoid the worry and strain she has been forced to endure over the past week.
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