A Council has issued a warning following incidents in which henna treatments left permanent scarring.

Manchester City Council's Environmental Health and Trading Standards officers warned about the potential dangers of 'henna treatments' which use hair dye.

This follows an investigation into two recent incidents in Manchester which have resulted in permanent scarring.

Henna decoration treatments on the skin are particularly popular in the community and are often carried out before weddings and religious festivals such as Eid.

A recent trend has been to outline henna designs on the skin with hair dye to create a more distinct pattern, and it is the use of this hair dye which is causing concern.

Councillor Val Stevens, Executive Member for Planning and the Environment said, "Our investigations have found that this practice is potentially dangerous.

"Two cases have come to our attention which have resulted in people suffering severe adverse reactions and permanent scarring. Not everyone exposed to the dye will suffer in this way but people who are hypersensitive or allergic to the dye are susceptible, which can be very traumatic for the person affected."

"Businesses which apply this form of body art should liaise with manufacturers or suppliers of the dye, obtaining safety data sheets and they should also carry out a detailed assessment to determine if and how the dye can be used safely.

"Where the dye is considered to be suitable for use on the skin, a patch test should be carried out 24 to 48 hours before the treatment to detect whether or not someone is likely to suffer a reaction."

The particular hair dye product used in the two cases investigated was found not to comply with The Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations, 1996. It did not contain relevant information about the active ingredients of the product. Consequently, Trading Standards Officers are making arrangements for the imported hair dye to be removed from the shelves of stockists and to prevent further imports.

The business involved in both the treatments highlighted is no longer trading.

Anyone who has suffered a similar reaction to this treatment should contact their local Environmental Health Department.