Popular health influencer and medical doctor, Chinonso Egemba, popularly known as Aproko Doctor, has warned that fake or black henna can cause severe skin reactions, permanent scars and keloids.
Egemba issued the warning in a video shared on Monday following widespread social media reports of adverse skin reactions linked to henna use.
He cautioned that some injuries caused by fake henna may be lifelong.
He said: “There are some scars that may never leave for the rest of her life.”
According to him, natural henna is derived from the Lawsonia innum plant and produces a brownish, reddish or orange colour that is generally safe for use.
He said: “There are two types of henna… the natural henna… It gives you a brownish, reddish, orange colour.
“That one is generally safe.”
Egemba warned, however, that the black variant commonly sold as henna is not natural and often contains paraphenylenediamine (PPD), a chemical also used in some hair dye products.
He explained that when PPD comes into contact with the skin, it can trigger allergic contact dermatitis, causing redness, itching, swelling and pain.
He said: “If PPD touches your skin, your immune system can see it like a problem… that fight is causing all the redness, all the itching, all the swelling, all the pain.”
The medical doctor noted that reactions may take between seven and 14 days to appear in first-time users, while people previously exposed to the chemical may develop symptoms within one to three days.
He identified intense itching, burning sensations, redness, swelling and blisters that follow the henna pattern as some of the early warning signs.
Egemba warned that severe reactions could lead to lasting skin damage.
He said: “In serious cases, the blisters will break and start to leak… in some worse cases, you might leave a permanent scar. If you’re the kind of person who gets keloid, you might get a keloid also.”
He added: “If the henna is very black… that is a red flag. Natural henna is never black.”
Egemba advised people experiencing mild reactions to wash the affected area with soap and water and apply cold compresses.
He said more serious cases require medical attention, especially where symptoms worsen, blisters spread or breathing difficulties develop.
The doctor also urged consumers to check product ingredients and carry out patch tests before applying henna, stressing that early caution remains the best way to avoid long-term skin damage.
