BPoD has moved!

BPoD has recently changed our domain name - we can now be found at bpod.org.uk

Please update your bookmarks!

Now in our 13th year of bringing you beautiful imagery from biomedical science every day

Search the archive of over 4000 images

Wellcome Image Awards 2016 Suffering for Art
03 May 2016

Suffering for Art

A henna tattoo is supposed to be temporary – a stain left from a chemical reaction between lawsone, from henna leaves, and keratin proteins in the skin. Orangey-brown henna dye has been used to decorate bodies since the Bronze Age and 'mehndi', as it’s known in India and Pakistan, is still widely used as a traditional element of festivals and ceremonies. But henna has a dark side – para-phenylenediamine (PPD), a black dye, is sometimes mixed with natural henna to mimic ink tattoos but avoid the pain of needles. Unfortunately though, this young girl has had a severe allergic reaction to PPD, leaving bulbous blisters along the swirling lines of her body art. Such reactions can cause lifelong scarring as well sensitivity to medication with similar chemistry to PPD. No wonder then that PPD-infused henna is illegal, yet banning its use worldwide is proving difficult to enforce.

Written by John Ankers

Search The Archive

Submit An Image

Follow on Tumblr

Follow on Instagram

What is BPoD?

BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

Read More

BPoD is also available in Catalan at www.bpod.cat with translations by the University of Valencia.