Henna tattoos are getting more and more popular in recent times. As they are relatively cheaper than other types of tattoos. Depending on the quality of henna you use and the aftercare routine, a henna tattoo can last up to 2 weeks in vibrant condition without any sign of fading. Getting most tattoos will get you some pain or discomfort so some people may wonder do henna tattoos hurt or not.
Any tattoo that requires a tattoo needle to get the job done will hurt. Depending on the tattoo size and placement the pain level may vary. There are some tattoos that do not require needle poking. And henna tattoo is one of them. So the question arises do henna tattoos hurt even though the tattooing process does not require tattoo needles? Stick around to find everything you need to know about henna tattoos.
Key Takeaways
- The henna tattoo does not hurt at all.
- A normal permanent tattoo requires needle poking to insert pigment deep into your skin layer on the other hand henna is applied on the surface of the skin and its dye molecules stain the skin to create the henna tattoo.
- People who have extreme anemia, a certain blood disorder, an immune system disorder, etc. should not get a henna tattoo.
- You can tell if the henna is natural or black henna by its color, smell, ingredient, the time it takes to color skin, etc.
- If you see any adverse reaction to henna then you should immediately wash off the henna, apply soothing ointment and see a doctor.
Henna Tattoo: Does It Hurt or Not
To put it simply, no henna tattoos do not hurt at all. Applying henna on the skin may give a tickling and cold feeling but nothing adverse. That said you may have heard people getting hurt, burned, or feel pain because of henna tattoos. There is a chance of allergic reactions to henna and some adverse reactions may occur when you apply the cheap synthetic henna mix to get your tattoo. Let’s dive into details and learn why.
To make a henna tattoo you will need the leaf of the henna tree or Lawsonia Inermis tree. You will need to make a paste by crushing the leaves and adding a bit of water. You may add sugar, lemon juice, and essential oil for fragrance. It is a pure and natural process that is not harmful at all. But if you have an allergy to any of these ingredients you may face some issues, so be aware.
Now let us talk about synthetic henna which is also known as black henna. Not everybody has the time or patience to wait for 6-8 hours to get a henna tattoo. So companies have developed a henna formula that does not requires hours to dry. These black henna or synthetic henna can give you an instant tattoo, saving you a lot of time. Not to mention these black henna can give you darker color compared to natural henna. But to give you an instant tattoo and a darker color they use many chemicals that can be harmful to some people. One of the chemicals is p-Phenylenediamine (PPD) which is known to cause adverse reactions, such as:
- Redness
- Swelling
- Itchiness
- Pain
You may have heard of PPD as it is used in many hair dyes in EP as a legal ingredient but the use of this ingredient is strictly controlled. But in black henna, the amount of PPD is much more than it should be. Companies use more PPD in black henna to give a darker color tattoo that everyone loves. So stay on the safe side, avoid any kind of black or synthetic henna, and stick to natural henna for harmless tattoos.
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Difference Between Henna Tattoo & Normal Tattoo
This difference will help you understand why henna tattoo does not hurt and normal tattoo does.
Normal Tattoo
Normal permanent tattoo requires a tattoo needle to poke deep into the dermis layer of your skin to insert pigment. It inserts ink/pigment into the second layer of your skin permanently to make a permanent tattoo. A tattoo may require a few hundred to a few thousand-time needles poking to get the job done. So of course you will feel some pain during the tattooing process. The amount of pain you feel may vary depending on which body part you are getting the tattoo at.
Henna Tattoo
The henna tattoo does not insert pigment into your skin layer, instead, it paints the surface of your skin. Henna contains a natural dye that can color white hair and your skin. You will be glad to know that the dye molecules are so tiny that they can penetrate a few layers of your skin just by applying the henna on the surface of your skin. So no need to use a needle to poke it into skin layers. These dye molecules can last a few weeks, so you will get a fine tattoo for weeks without going through the pain of getting poked by needles. Wonderful isn’t it?
People Who Should Avoid Henna Tattoos?
Even pure henna that does not contain any chemicals may cause allergic reactions in some people. So make sure you have an allergy or not to henna or any ingredient used to make it. Apart from that there are some conditions that may prevent you from using henna for tattoos. Those conditions are:
- Disorder of the immune system.
- Hyperbilirubinemia.
- Certain blood disorder.
- Anemia.
- Deficiency of Glucose-6 Phosphate Dehydrogenase.
7 Ways to Know if It is Natural Henna or Not
There are a few ways to know if the henna is natural or chemical-added henna:
- Color of Henna paste & powder
Natural henna is never dark. The natural henna powder will appear greenish and the paste would appear dark green. Because of the packaging the color may appear brown but that is not an issue. If your henna powder or paste appears to have a different color it is most likely mixed with chemicals. - Color of Henna tattoo
A natural henna with a proper aftercare routine can give you a deep burgundy or orange-colored tattoo. If it is black, then it is not natural henna. - Ingredient
Before purchasing henna read the ingredient on its package carefully. If you notice any added chemicals, then it is not pure and you should avoid purchasing such henna products. - Time it takes
Natural henna takes 6-8 hours to give you a proper color. If you are in haste, then at least wait 4 hours to get decent colors. But if you get dark bright color before this time period then it is not natural.
To test this out you can apply a small dot on your skin and whip after an hour. And check if it has a dark color or not.
- Symptoms
You can do a little patch test to see if the henna gives you any adverse issues or not. It may take 3-4 days to show symptoms. So after applying a small dot on the skin, you may need to wait 3-4 days to complete the patch test. The symptoms include:- Itchiness on the tattooed area
- Swelling around the tattoo lines
- Pain on the tattooed area
- Itchiness on the tattooed area
- Blisters on the tattooed area
- Increased sensitivity to the sunlight
- Permanent scarring
- Shelf life
Natural henna will always have a shorter shelf life because it is natural and no chemicals were added to preserve it for a longer period of time. On the other hand, black henna will have a longer shelf life thanks to all the chemicals added to keep it in usable condition for a longer period of time. - Smell
Natural henna will have an earthy smell to it. And if any essential oil were added you will be able to smell that, there is no issue adding essential oil to henna. But if you smell anything chemical-like then it is not natural henna.
3 Things to Do If You Get Adverse Reaction to Henna
If you get an allergic reaction from henna or any adverse reaction from black henna, then follow the steps below.
- Wash henna immediately
Wash the henna immediately using gentle soap and water. Henna and any sort of temporary tattoo are prone to water because of exfoliation. So washing the henna and the affected area will give you some relief. - Apply soothing ointment
Applying soothing ointment or natural herb like aloe vera can ease the pain, or burning sensation by a lot. - See a doctor
If the reaction is severe or you are facing some severe symptoms like burned area, swelling, redness, and itching then it is advised to see a doctor as soon as possible. Ingredients such as PPD of black henna can cause permanent scarring, so be aware. Depending on your condition your doctor may prescribe you:- To treat the rash, an oral corticosteroid could be prescribed.
- To treat pustular, Antibiotics could be prescribed.
- To treat itchiness, Antihistamines could be prescribed.
FAQs
Are henna tattoos permanent?
No henna tattoos are not permanent.
How long do henna tattoos last?
Henna tattoos can last from 6-14 days depending on the quality of the henna you used and the aftercare routine you followed.
Is it possible to remove a henna tattoo?
Yes, you can exfoliate the tattooed area to remove the henna tattoo.
Can you do henna tattoos at home?
Yes, you can do henna tattoos at home.
Final Thoughts
The henna tattoo does not require any tattoo needle; you just apply the henna paste on the surface of your skin. So it won’t hurt at all. You may feel ticklish or a soothing cold because of the henna. That said if you have an allergy to henna or any added ingredient you may face an allergic reaction. So make sure you do not have any allergy to any of the ingredients added to henna. It is strictly forbidden to use black henna as it contains many harmful chemicals such as PPD that may cause discomfort or even permanent scarring.
Make sure you are not using any black henna and only using pure natural henna. You can do a small patch test to see if you have any allergic reactions or not before getting a tattoo.
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