Hair dyes and temporary tattoos are a real hazard for adolescents?

Abstract

Temporary tattoos, especially those that contain black dyes, have become rampant among teenagers in recent years. Most of these tattoos, in addition to hair dyes include paraphenylenediamine (PPD). PPD is a well-known skin sensitizer, which causes allergic contact dermatitis. Allergic contact dermatitis skin lesions from PPD are mostly seen as erythema multiforme-like eruption, a bullous contact dermatitis or as an exudative erythema. Herein, we report on our finding on a 15 year-old adolescent female who had been unaware of being previously sensitized to PPD from a black henna tattoo, and angioedema-like reaction which occurred after her first exposure to hair dye.

Keywords: Paraphenylenediamine; black henna tattoo; contact sensitization; hair dye.