If you're going away on holiday this summer you might be tempted to have some temporary body art done. Before you do, it's worth ensuring you know exactly what's being put onto your skin.
Watchdog has been contacted by the Smith family who recently came back from a two-week holiday in Egypt. They stayed at the 5-star Jaz Mirabel Resort which they booked through Thomson.
On the hotel complex was a shop offering temporary henna tattoos and the Smith children Connie and Tyler were desperate to get one done.
Dad Lee said: "We assumed the people that did the tattoo were approved by the resort because they had a shop on the complex and they actually had ID tags and were in proper uniforms so we just assumed they were OK."
Children experienced classic reaction
Their son Tyler had a scorpion design on his back, while their daughter Connie had a Hello Kitty design on her arm.
Mum Michelle told Watchdog: "It was really Connie's that started to react first of all. Just a little bit of redness. We didn't think much of it and then by the time we got home and the few days after that it just got worse and worse. The skin just started to blister in the exact shape of the tattoo. They were just getting raised blisters which were very red, angry and inflamed."
Michelle and Lee Smith are angry with Thomson for allowing the tattoo artist to operate on an all-inclusive complex.
Proper henna tattoos won't cause the sort of reaction seen in the Smith children. However, in some tourist resorts you will come across darker dyes where the henna has been mixed with paraphenylene diamine or PPD. In most of Europe it's illegal to use PPD in henna tattoos but it seems the Smith children seem to have experienced a classic reaction to PPD which means they could be sensitive to it for life.
Temporary tattoo became inflamed and blistered
Watchdog has also been contacted by Mrs Cabrera. Her son also had a henna tattoo done at the same shop on the Jaz Mirabel Resort in September 2008. Her son's back where he'd had the tattoo applied also became inflamed and blistered. A dermatologist told her that he too had experienced an allergic reaction to PPD. Six months later and his back has healed but he's still scarred.
Mrs Cabrera wrote to Thomson back September 2008 to warn them about what had happened to her son. She says all she has received so far from Thomson is a compensation claims form.
When Watchdog contacted Thomson it said:
"Thomson would like to reassure its customers that their health and safety is our primary concern, and we are therefore sorry to hear about the Smith and Legg children's reaction to a Henna Tattoo they received while staying at the Jaz Mirabel Beach Resort in Egypt.
The Jaz Mirabel Beach Resort is exclusive to Thomson in the UK, although it does also welcome customers from other countries. The tattoo shop in the resort is operated by a third party, and neither Thomson nor the hotelier have any involvement in the service nor are they affiliated with our company.
"We would like to clarify that we do not promote or endorse any products or services of this kind. Customers are advised by the Tattoo Parlour that its usage is at their own discretion.
"Thomson has advised all hoteliers of their duty of care towards our customers as regards Henna Tattoo shops operating within their premises. However, although Thomson does exercise control over the checking of all fire alarm systems and any high-risk installations within shop premises, we do not have any say over goods and products on sale.
"After hearing from Watchdog, Thomson is conducting a full investigation in collaboration with the hotel management. We have requested that the hotel management speak to the owner of the tattoo parlour with a view to suspending its service until this investigation is complete.
"Thomson will be in touch with the families presently as regards any claims they may have."
Henna body art that blisters
Watchdog has been contacted by the Smith family who recently came back from a two-week holiday in Egypt. They stayed at the 5-star Jaz Mirabel Resort which they booked through Thomson.
On the hotel complex was a shop offering temporary henna tattoos and the Smith children Connie and Tyler were desperate to get one done.
Dad Lee said: "We assumed the people that did the tattoo were approved by the resort because they had a shop on the complex and they actually had ID tags and were in proper uniforms so we just assumed they were OK."
Children experienced classic reaction
Their son Tyler had a scorpion design on his back, while their daughter Connie had a Hello Kitty design on her arm.
Mum Michelle told Watchdog: "It was really Connie's that started to react first of all. Just a little bit of redness. We didn't think much of it and then by the time we got home and the few days after that it just got worse and worse. The skin just started to blister in the exact shape of the tattoo. They were just getting raised blisters which were very red, angry and inflamed."
Michelle and Lee Smith are angry with Thomson for allowing the tattoo artist to operate on an all-inclusive complex.
Proper henna tattoos won't cause the sort of reaction seen in the Smith children. However, in some tourist resorts you will come across darker dyes where the henna has been mixed with paraphenylene diamine or PPD. In most of Europe it's illegal to use PPD in henna tattoos but it seems the Smith children seem to have experienced a classic reaction to PPD which means they could be sensitive to it for life.
Temporary tattoo became inflamed and blistered
Watchdog has also been contacted by Mrs Cabrera. Her son also had a henna tattoo done at the same shop on the Jaz Mirabel Resort in September 2008. Her son's back where he'd had the tattoo applied also became inflamed and blistered. A dermatologist told her that he too had experienced an allergic reaction to PPD. Six months later and his back has healed but he's still scarred.
Mrs Cabrera wrote to Thomson back September 2008 to warn them about what had happened to her son. She says all she has received so far from Thomson is a compensation claims form.
When Watchdog contacted Thomson it said:
"Thomson would like to reassure its customers that their health and safety is our primary concern, and we are therefore sorry to hear about the Smith and Legg children's reaction to a Henna Tattoo they received while staying at the Jaz Mirabel Beach Resort in Egypt.
The Jaz Mirabel Beach Resort is exclusive to Thomson in the UK, although it does also welcome customers from other countries. The tattoo shop in the resort is operated by a third party, and neither Thomson nor the hotelier have any involvement in the service nor are they affiliated with our company.
"We would like to clarify that we do not promote or endorse any products or services of this kind. Customers are advised by the Tattoo Parlour that its usage is at their own discretion.
"Thomson has advised all hoteliers of their duty of care towards our customers as regards Henna Tattoo shops operating within their premises. However, although Thomson does exercise control over the checking of all fire alarm systems and any high-risk installations within shop premises, we do not have any say over goods and products on sale.
"After hearing from Watchdog, Thomson is conducting a full investigation in collaboration with the hotel management. We have requested that the hotel management speak to the owner of the tattoo parlour with a view to suspending its service until this investigation is complete.
"Thomson will be in touch with the families presently as regards any claims they may have."
Henna body art that blisters