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Henna, a coloring made from a plant, is approved only for use as
a hair dye, not for direct application to the skin, as in the
body-decorating process known as mehndi. This unapproved use
of a color additive makes these products adulterated and
therefore illegal. An import alert is in effect for henna
intended for use on the skin. FDA has received reports of
injuries to the skin from products marketed as henna.
Since henna typically produces a brown, orange-brown, or
reddish-brown tint, other ingredients must be added
to produce other colors, such as those marketed as
"black henna" and "blue henna." So-called "black henna"
may contain the "coal tar" color p-phenylenediamine,
also known as PPD. This ingredient may cause allergic
reactions in some individuals. The only legal use of
PPD in cosmetics is as a hair dye. It is not approved
for direct application to the skin. Even brown shades
of products marketed as henna may contain other ingredients
intended to make them darker or make the stain last longer.
n addition to color additives, these skin-decorating
products may contain other ingredients, such as solvents.
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