Luton: Henna Warnings After Skin Burns

30 October 2012, 15:00 | Updated: 30 October 2012, 15:12

A teenager's suffered skin blisters after using an illegal henna product on her arm - Luton trading standards have now issued a warning to only buy reputable brands or from reputable sources.

Shifa Khatun bought the product from a store in Luton and was told it would be suitable as a henna design product to put on the skin - she told the shopkeeper it was for a bride-to-be.

But after taking the product home Shifa told Heart: "Straight-away it started burning - I washed it off straight away but it was like I had burned myself really badly. Before I know it, it went bright red, it had swollen up and it just felt like a burning sensation.

It left a massive mark, it started blistering, it went red and left temporary scarring on my arm and went all red. I was going to use it for a bride-to-be. If I had put it on her it would have been a disaster - I don't think there would have been a wedding."

Stephen Dibble from Luton Borough Council Trading Standards says no one else has suffered after a girl in the town had skin burns as a result of using a henna product.

Mr Dibble told Heart: "Trading Standards officers visited a number of shops in the area, carried out test purchases and formal sampling of a number of products.

Officials seized a number of items which had failed labelling requirements; products which contained chemicals banned from use on the skin, or had chemicals which had exceeding the legal limits."

Illegal henna products often contain PPD & others chemicals which can cause severe allergic reactions and the manufacturers of the products can't be traced.

Mr Dibble asked the public to be cautious when buying henna products in small independent shops especially those ones which cater for the community which regularly uses henna - to ensure the products are from a reputable source.