A holidaymaker has been left with a painful moustache-shaped scar after using black henna to ‘tattoo’ the finishing touches for his Mexican costume.
Arran Maye was on holiday in Benidorm, Spain, when he decided to have the novelty moustache painted on in black henna before heading to the fancy dress day of the Benidorm Fiesta on 14 November.
However, Arran has a severe allergic reaction to PPD (Para-phenylenediamine) – a chemical found in the henna – depsite having used the mixture previously with no side-effects.
He first noticed something was wrong when he felt a tingling sensation in his upper lip, and within dayshis whole face had ballooned and he was in excruciating pain. Arran was rushed into intensive care, where he stayed for two days. He may need a skin graft to fully repair the affected area.
The temporary tattoo, which should last just a couple of days, has now left him with a moustache-shaped scar which doctors have said will last for up to six months.
“It was fine at first,” Arran said, “but then it got tingly. The next day it was blistering and, by the Sunday, my face was a balloon. It was like it was trying to push out the henna.”
“I’ve managed to see the funny side of it,” he continued. “I mean, what choice do I have? I look a right idiot though. The doctors said I’ll have a scar for six months, exactly in the outline of the moustache.”
Black henna is a mixture of black hair dye, PPD and other chemicals. It has been frequently linked to severe allergic reactions and skin conditions. It is illegal in the UK and is a completely different substance to natural henna, which has been safely used in South Asia for thousands of years.
