BANGKOK, THAILAND – An American tourist warned about dangerous black henna tattoos after suffering severe facial injuries that could leave permanent scars following a night out in the city’s nightlife district.
US content creator Nick Nayersina had been travelling in Thailand with friends when they decided, in a party atmosphere, to get matching face tattoos. On a busy street in Bangkok, a street vendor painted a Mike Tyson-style design on their faces using black henna.
“We went out in Bangkok and for some reason we had the great idea to get black henna Mike Tyson tattoos,”
said Nayersina.
The condition of his skin worsened soon after the night out.
“My whole tattoo is blistering and oozing,”
said Nayersina, adding that the skin began to peel and burn, and the area became highly irritated and extremely sensitive. He said he had since consulted several specialists, explaining:
“It is starting to burn into my face as a scar. My skin is irritated and reacting. I was told it could scar or it could go away. There is still pus coming out and it feels like a sunburn,”
said Nayersina.
The influencer later learned that
“many people”
were said to have been left with permanent scars after visiting the same vendor and expressed concern that the tattoo outline could remain on his skin.
“This is not a joke,”
said Nayersina.
“Do not come to Bangkok and get a black henna tattoo on your face while you are drunk, because it can lead exactly to this.”
The core of the problem lay in the substance itself. Black henna was not natural henna but was often mixed with the chemical dye paraphenylenediamine (PPD), which was added to make the colour darker and longer-lasting than traditional brownish henna made from ground henna leaves. PPD was allowed in hair dyes under strict regulations, but direct contact with the skin, especially on the face, could cause severe burns, blistering, infections and permanent scarring.
In a warning from the Australian government, officials stated:
“Black henna is not a natural substance – it is mixed with PPD, which changes the colour and makes it react faster on the skin.”
They also noted that the use of this substance on skin was banned in Australia, the United States and much of Europe. Despite these restrictions, black henna remained widespread in tourist hotspots, where street artists and vendors offered the dark, tattoo-like colour because it appeared more striking and lasted longer, particularly in destinations such as Thailand and Bali.
Beyond severe skin reactions such as burns and blistering, the use of black henna containing PPD could, according to the available information, trigger additional side effects. These included sensitisation dermatitis (allergic skin reactions), throat irritation, bronchial asthma, nausea, sore throat and dizziness. Many travellers were unaware that black henna was prohibited for use on skin in numerous countries, yet continued to be applied in holiday regions.
Nayersina said he shared his experience publicly to protect others and hoped his case would deter travellers from making similar choices. His message was clear, especially for party tourists in Bangkok and other resort areas: no black henna tattoos on the face, particular caution with offers from street vendors, and no spontaneous body treatments while intoxicated. With this urgent appeal, he aimed to prevent a fun holiday moment from turning into a long-lasting medical problem, repeating:
“This is not a joke,”
said Nayersina.