Black henna can be fatal, Abu Dhabi Municipality warns

Abu Dhabi: Black henna if used extensively can be fatal, warned a senior official of Abu Dhabi Municipality.

Though the cosmetic has been banned by both Abu Dhabi Municipality and Dubai Municipality, private beauticians and henna designers continue to offer it to customers.

“Through our awareness campaigns, we try to tell the public that traditionally there is nothing called black henna. So please be aware of what is being applied on your body, and don’t get burned,” Khaleefa Al Romaithi, public health administration director at the Municipality told XPRESS.

He said dangerous chemicals and even petrol, car oil and hair dye are mixed with henna to give a black tint to the natural reddish-brown colour of henna.

“Certain chemicals used in black henna can drastically reduce the oxygen levels in the body. It can even prove fatal to women who apply henna extensively on their body,” warned Al Romaithi.

According to him, 30 inspectors – all Emirati women – have been conducting surprise inspections between 8pm and 3am covering 600 beauty salons in Abu Dhabi during the month of Ramadan.

“Last year, there were about 30 complaints from customers who had problems using black henna. This year, it has almost reduced to nil thanks to municipality inspections and awareness campaigns,” said Al Romaithi.

beauty ritual

It is an inevitable beauty ritual for women in the UAE, especially during special occasions like Eid or weddings to apply henna designs on hands and feet. Traditionally henna is made by grinding henna leaves and making a paste or powder that is easy to apply. Lime juice or tea are usually infused with henna paste to get dark shades of red.

Black henna is popular among women as it guarantees dark and long-lasting shades of black. Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai Municipalities banned the use of black henna in 2008-2009 following incidents of severe burns and allergic reactions.

Despite the ban, women say black henna is still being used at private parties and desert safaris. “Three months ago when I went for a desert safari, the woman were applying black henna on tourists. I had a burning sensation that lasted two to three days. Luckily, it was a very small design on my neck,” said Charlotte. A, an Australian expat.

The municipality official said the government cannot regulate or inspect private parties or desert safaris. “I will say that the responsibility lies as much with the customers as it is with the providers. My advice for women is to check the content, label and expiry dates of products they use,” said Al Romaithi.