Henna

I came across a web page today that talked about using henna rather than regular hair dyes. It said that since henna is "natural", it does not contain the main ingredients that cause allergic reactions. Is henna still used in most salons and does it work as well as permanent hair coloring? Any input would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks.

I suspect that henna is less allergenic than many "regular" hair dyes; however, it is possible to have (or develop) an allergy to it over time. Even "natural" products can cause allergies - in fact, they are often the worst causes. Just look at the trouble people have with latex (a common - comparatively - and potentially very serious or even fatal allergy). Latex is a natural product. The alternative to latex gloves is generally vinyl ones (very artificial). Allergies to vinyl are extremely rare.This is not to discourage you from using henna if you decide that's an appropriate choice for you - I don't know enough about henna to advise on that issue. I've thought about trying it myself, but I've never done it, and no one I know has used it, so I can't share any wisdom from experience. I'm just nitpicking about biology. :)Laura Janelswanson@sunflower.bio.indiana.edu

> I came across a web page today that talked about using> henna rather than regular hair dyes. It said that> since henna is "natural", it does not> contain the main ingredients that cause allergic> reactions. Is henna still used in most salons and does> it work as well as permanent hair coloring? Any input> would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks.Well I've used henna to color my hair for about 5 or 6 years now, as well as doing a bit of mehendi for about 2... so I'm a bit of an armchair expert on the stuff.Henna, like any other plant or herb CAN cause allergic reactions in susceptible individuals. I've found it less likely to cause reactions than harsh chemicals, however if you have a history of allergies (like I do) you really should do a patch test before putting ANY strange chemical or herb on your hair. (For instance, I can't take some "hair vitamins" because I'm allergic to horsetail.)I've found that henna is less damaging to my hair than other colorings. It's been used for centuries as a conditioner and colorant in the middle east and India. I have heard of some people having problems with damage... but they usually either had thin hair or were using a product that mixes henna with other chemicals. Like so many things it depends on your hair. Most of the folks I know who've had really good results with it have fairly thick hair.I wouldn't suggest going to the salon and asking them to henna your hair though as the henna products marketed at beauty supply stores are as little as 10% henna mixed with a slew of other chemicals. These are MORE damaging than a high quality chemical color, because they use lower quality ingredients mixed with the henna. But it's really easy to do henna on your own hair. It's just a matter getting 100% pure henna (I'd advise Light Mountain or Avigal), mixing it with boiling water, letting it cool, working it into your hair and washing it out 20 min later. You can add conditioning agents to the paste as well. (I have a hair mayonaise recipie that I use, I can post it if you'd like.) It fades gently, not giving you "roots" like more conventional dyes.The biggest drawback is that it has a fairly limited color range... you can get red, red or red. :-) Well actually there's a black, but it doesn't work well unless you already have fairly dark hair. However once you get a feel for it, you can control the strength of the color by how long you leave it on your hair and how long you wait between treatments. I like mild red highlights (my hair is medium brown) and so I henna my hair every 2-3 months and leave it on for 20-25 minutes.-jj