'Poisonous' black henna on hands puts woman in hospital

A 21-year-old Arab woman identified as W.A, was admitted in the ICU at Al Qasimi Hospital a week after she applied black henna on her hands in an Ajman beauty saloon, the sister of the patient said on Wednesday. Black henna often contains the chemical p-Phenylenediamine (PPD), which gives the natural reddish-brown dye a black tint, said Dr Shubhada Mandar Bichi, a specialist dermatologist and the patient’s doctor at the hospital. She said the patient suffered from severe allergic reactions from the black henna application. “The woman was suffering from abdominal pain, breathing difficulty and dizziness when she was admitted to the hospital,” she said. “Prior to being admitted, she visited a private clinic in Sharjah that prescribed an injection for her pain.” She explained that the chemical frequently is added to henna to speed up the dying process and produce a deeper stain on the skin. “It caused a negative reaction. Once the body’s immune system triggers an allergic reaction to PPD further exposure can be fatal. The patient will take another seven to ten days to recover and be discharged.”