Popular health influencer and medical doctor, Chinonso Egemba, widely known as Aproko Doctor, has warned that the use of fake or black henna can cause severe skin reactions, including permanent scars and keloids.
The warning follows widespread social media posts in which users have shared experiences of adverse skin reactions linked to henna use.
In a video shared on Monday, Egemba said some of the injuries linked to fake henna could be lifelong.
“There are some scars that may never leave for the rest of her life,” he said.
He explained that natural henna is derived from the plant Lawsonia innum, producing a brownish, reddish or orange tint and is generally safe for use.
“There are two types of henna… the natural henna… It gives you a brownish, reddish, orange colour. That one is generally safe,” he said.
Egemba, however, warned that the commonly used black variant is not natural henna but contains paraphenylenediamine (PPD), a chemical also found in hair dye products.
He noted that when applied to the skin, the substance can trigger allergic contact dermatitis, a condition in which the immune system reacts aggressively, leading to redness, swelling, itching and pain.
“If PPD touches your skin, your immune system can see it like a problem… that fight is causing all the redness, all the itching, all the swelling, all the pain,” he said.
He added that reactions may be delayed in first-time users, sometimes taking 7 to 14 days to appear, while previously sensitised individuals may react within one to three days.
Egemba listed early warning signs as intense itching, burning sensations, redness, swelling and blister formation that often follow the pattern of the henna design.
He warned that in severe cases, the reaction may spread and lead to permanent damage.
“In serious cases, the blisters will break and start to leak… in some worse cases, you might leave a permanent scar. If you’re the kind of person who gets keloid, you might get a keloid also.
“If the henna is very black… that is a red flag. Natural henna is never black,” he warned.
He advised that mild reactions may be managed by washing the area with soap and water and applying cold compresses, while more severe cases require medical treatment.
Egemba cautioned that worsening symptoms such as spreading blisters or breathing difficulty require urgent medical attention.
He urged the public to verify ingredients before using henna products and to carry out patch tests before application, stressing that early caution remains key to preventing long-term skin damage.
Read the full article here
