Re: Other things like henna?

Posted by Catherine Cartwright Jones on March 13, 2000 at 07:39:23:

In Reply to: Other things like henna? posted by James on March 12, 2000 at 23:08:33:

The short answer is no.

There are very, very few molecules small enough to penetrate skin, and
fewer still that do so without hurting the body that is inhabiting the
skin. About the only molecule that will safely penetrate down 20 or
so cells into the outer layer of your skin (the dead part) and bind
with the collagen safely is henna's hennotannic acid. The
gallotannins will stain a little ... clove and oak gall. But they're
just not as good. A few other tannins have some effect ... Betel, and
walnut .... but again none of those have anywhere near the penetrating
and staining quality of henna does on skin at body temperature without
a mordant.

Blue, green, purple etc. dye molecules are too big. Even the indigo
and woad molecules only go the top couple of cells, so that just lasts
a day or three. When you tie dye shirts .... all that hot dye bath,
and your hands still clean up in two days tops.

The food coloring sort of dyes used in colored henna again only
penetrate one or two of the top most dessicated and porous of your
skin cells so that's gone fast too. Mostly harmless, but not
longlasting like henna. Paint and Temptu just sit right on top of
your skin.

One molecule that will penetrate is PPD .... a very small molecule
that will go through your skin and stain it black all the way down BUT
PPD IS TOXIC and it will penetrate to the blood bearing layer!!!!
There it causes chemical burns and more havoc if it gets into your
blood stream.

If you could take off your skin, you could boil it, mordant it, strip
it, and turn it all sorts of wonderful colors with leather, fur, hair
and wool dyes...... but those things would not be suitable for your
skin while you're the living, sentient inhabitant therein.

You can oxidize or percipitate your henna stain to black .... email me
if you want the instructions. It's comparable to the henna stone
thing that's used in North Africa and all.

(Pardon me while I get off on a rant here .... I was talking to some
hairdressers recently, and they are truely experts on just how awful
the effects of ppd and other dyes can be on skin, because they
regularly see people who have nuked their hair with ppd black hair
dye, and forever after need wigs.)

Follow Ups:

• Re: Other things like henna? James 22:37:02 3/13/00 (1)
  • Re: Other things like henna? Catherine Cartwright Jones 08:26:47 3/14/00 (0)