Henna / Lawsonia inermis / Lawsonia alba Information
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Henna General Information
Henna Uses & Scientific Evidence For
Henna Dosage Information
Henna Safety & Interaction Information
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Henna General Information
Henna is a dwarf shrub that grows 8 to 10 feet tall in India, Egypt and Persia. The leaves, bark and flowers are ground into a fine powder. It has been used in the most ancient times in Eastern countries for dyeing hair, the body and nails.
The practice of Mehndi (Henna Tattoo) started out as an answer to the need for air-conditioning in the desert. The Henna plant, whose botanical name is Lawsonia inermis and which comes from the Loosestrife family, has several medicinal properties, chief among them its ability to cool down the human body.
When the desert people of Rajasthan, Punjab, and Gujarat became aware of Hennas cooling properties, they dipped their hands and feet in a mud or paste made with the crushed leaves of the plant. Even when the mud was scraped off, they noticed, as long as the color remained visible, their body temperatures stayed low.
Eventually some women grew tired of bright red palms and found that one large central dot in the palm of the hand had the same effect, while being more pleasing to the eye. Other, smaller dots were placed around the center dot, which gradually gave way to the idea of creating outright artistic designs. To that end, a thin instrument made of silver or ivory (in India) or wood (in Morocco), then most commonly used for applying kohl to the eyes, became the instrument of choice for Henna applications, and it is still in use in desert villages today.
Only in the last decade or so have the popular Indian cone and Moroccan syringe, both of which are able to deposit the thinnest filaments of Henna onto the skin, come into play as modern counterparts of the simple stick..."
Henna Tattoos are temporary and will last about 1 to 3 weeks. Designs on the palm of your hands or the soles of your feet last the longest.
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Henna Uses & Scientific Evidence For
Since 1890 it has been widely used in Europe for tinting hair and is often found in shampoos. It has been applied topically and used internally as tea to treat smallpox, leprosy, jaundice and infections of the skin.
When applied to the skin, Henna provides a cooling and astringent action along with protection against many fungi and bacteria. Henna can help lower body temperature to soothe headaches, fever, and burning feet (diabetic neuritis). When made into a paste and applied to the head, Henna is said to relieve headaches. The leaves act as a cooling agent on burnt skin. Henna has antiseptic, astringent , antibacterial and antifungal properties. It aids in healing acne, boils, burns, bruises, fevers, heat rashes, skin rashes, warts and athletes foot. For conditions like sore throat, a decoction is used for gargling.
Ayurvedic gynecologists recommend henna in treatment of leucorrhoea, cervicitis, ulcers on female genitalia and vaginismus (burning in vagina). In post-coital burning, henna is said to give relief to the female partner. Juice of fresh leaves is used for early or involuntary ejaculation and spermatorrhoea i.e. involuntary loss of semen without reaching orgasm. It also has antispasmodic (relaxing) properties.
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Henna Dosage Information
Externaly, Henna is applied as a paste or pultice made from powdered seeds and or leaves. Topical application is generally considered safe (see safety and interaction information for details). For best results, read and follow product label directions.
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Henna Safety & Interaction Information
While external usage of henna is generally considered safe, there are some cases of sensitivity, while they are rare allergic reactions can happen, consult your medical professional if you are worried about a sensitizing reaction. Internal treatments should be used under medical personnels direction.
Be aware! Black Henna is not a natural Henna. Henna may be used as a base, but there is a chemical called PPD (P-Phenylenediamine) added. This additive can cause a chemical burn and can leave a scar. This additive has also been known to enter the bloodstream, target the kidney and liver and can result in death especially in children.
Poisoning by a mixture of henna dye and para-phenylenediamine dyes led to the hospitalization of 31 Sudanese children between 1984 and 1989. Thirteen of these resulted in death occurring within 24 hours of presentation (Hashim).
If you want to test your product here are some general guidelines about 3 products which are sold as Henna or Black Henna, of these three Indigo and Henna are safe, PPD is not.
Indigo, which may be in a box called “black henna” is a green plant powder that smells like frozen peas. Mix it with water. If the surface of the mix turns blue in 20 minutes, it’s indigo.
“Black henna” mixes with PPD are usually dark brown or black. They don’t have much of a smell. Mix that with water. In 10 minutes, black dye will drain out of the mix.
Henna is a green plant powder that smells like hay. Mix that with water and in a few hours, the surface will turn brownish.
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References:
The New Zealand Health Network
Hashim S., Hamza Y., Yahia B., Khogali F. and Sulieman G, " Poisoning from Henna Dye and Para-phenylenediamine Mixtures in Children in Khartoum" Annals of Tropical Pediatrics 12, 3 - 6.
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