Henna Tattoo Designs - What You Must Know About Henna Tattoo Designs

For those who like the look of tattoos but hate the permanency of a real one, henna tattoos provide the perfect solution. First of all, henna tattoos are relatively cheaper than real tattoos. Second, they are also significantly less painful. Third, henna tattoo designs are very much similar to the designs used in real dermal tattoos, except that they are generally limited to reddish brown colors. But despite the fact that there are a lot of designs to choose from, there are still some things to consider before choosing the right tattoo for you.

Skin Reaction

Henna may not be inserted into the dermis but it still causes skin irritation for some people. Black henna especially, or PPD -containing henna, is highly allergenic. So before you get one, test whether your skin would illicit any negative reactions to the ink. If your skin shows signs of irritation, that means that your choices are limited to designs that are narrow and thin. This ensures that your skin gets only a small amount of henna ink. Choosing bigger and darker henna tattoo designs may cause extreme allergic reactions that can lead to anaphylactic shock.

Skin Tone

Unlike dermal tattoos, whose designs come in different colors of your choice, henna tattoo designs are limited to reddish brown hues, or at least, the safe ones are. Although it is possible to use different colors for tattoos, this is generally not advised since this requires the addition of more chemicals to the ink. This increases the chance of the henna ink causing adverse reactions to your skin.

In order to get the most appropriate tattoo designs for your skin, take note of your skin color and choose a henna design that will bring the most contrast between your skin and the tattoo. This way, the tattoo design becomes very striking.

Location

As a general rule, henna tattoos are placed on regions of the body where the skin is thick. This is mainly because the lifespan of the henna tattoo designs depend largely on the thickness of the skin where they are drawn.

Henna ink may not be inserted through the dermis, but they are permanent. They only appear to be temporary because they fade after 48 hours. However, the fading is not due to the nature of the ink but rather to the skin where the henna design is placed.

In regions where the skin is thin, the rate of epidermal turnover is fast. This means that skin gets sloughed off at a quicker rate and is more rapidly replaced by newer skin. Since henna ink is attached to the epidermis, it will show fading as the epidermis peels off. This is why henna tattoos are placed in areas where skin is generally thicker.

To make sure that your henna tattoo lasts long, choose a design that would work best on your arm because this is one of the places where skin is thick and where the tattoo is protected from the elements.