Boy, 3, may face life with Bart Simpson tattoo
Categories: Preschoolers, In the news, Weird but true
A British boy on holiday in Spain suffered a reaction to a supposedly temporary tattoo of TV character Bart Simpson, and now the three-year-old may be facing a lifelong relationship with the sitcom scamp -- doctors said the red, raised outline of the tattoo may cause a permanent scar.Vinnie England, of Southmead, Bristol, got the tattoo at a street stall in Benidorm, Spain. The two-inch image was supposedly done in henna, a typically temporary, reddish-brown ink that fades within 10 days. Vinnie's tattoo was black, causing speculation that the ink used may have contained the chemical paraphenylenediamine or PPD, most often found in hair dye.
Vinnie's mum, Hayley Shipway, 24, noticed a red ring forming around Bart's outline and took him to see the doctor. The reaction was treated with a steroid cream, but the next day it appeared to be worse. Shipway said the reaction resembled a series of pin pricks, and was red and sore.
The reaction is so severe that Shipway was warned that it may scar.
Shipway expressed her guilt over the incident, saying that she often allowed her son to have stick-on tattoos, and that she never expected he'd have a reaction to the one he got in Spain.
I have a tattoo, but I was over 21 when I decided to mark my body for the rest of my life. This poor kid didn't have a choice. But hey, if he ever decides to join the Navy, he'll be ahead of the game.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Uly 10-03-2008 @ 6:06PM
You're never supposed to use henna on a child under the age of six because it can cause a serious allergic reaction on children that young.
Reply
Stardogg 10-05-2008 @ 3:48PM
Actually, these incidences are NOTHING NEW. There has been a problem with "BLACK HENNA" on the market now for years, and yes, it can cause dangerous reactions and permanant scarring.
THIS IS DIFFERENT THEN REAL HENNA. It would be nice if the article would stress that. Real henna is safe to use even on children. I ran a sucessful henna business for years before a spinal problem forced me to retire. I couldn't even buy BLACK HENNA in my state if I wanted to because of the safety ban on it.
Never ever did I have a reaction to real henna, and I tattooed hundreds and hundreds of people over the years. Not one person had a problem. REAL henna is actually conditioning to skin and hair.
The media has to stop giving henna a bad name and educate customers to the difference. Governments should universally ban black henna as well and just get rid of this problem.
scott 10-05-2008 @ 6:04PM
they reported everything except where the tattoo was located. WHERE was it placed, face would be a bigger problem then the arm.
gingermaei 10-06-2008 @ 10:30AM
I had a similar reaction to a "Henna" tatoo I received in Puerto Vallarta a few years back while vacationing there. After the ink faded the the area was red and swollen where the tatoo had been. The tatoo was done as a joke, I had my partners name put across my lower back in big block letters. Guess the jole was on me. You could clearly read his name for 7 or 8 months after the Henna tatoo faded. It was like having a brail tatoo.
SheriR 10-03-2008 @ 9:18PM
Same thing happened to my husband, who is also British, strangely. His was really raw, and horrible, but faded eventually. After about a year it was gone. We also noticed the same reaction to a number of muscle pain relief rubs.
*shrug* We're careful to be near a shower when we use anything new on his skin, same as our 4 year-old. You never know, eh?
Reply
Rosemarie 10-05-2008 @ 2:13PM
PRODUCT NO DOUBT WAS MADE IN CHINA!
Reply
nash1280 10-05-2008 @ 2:23PM
I guess it's better to have Bart Simpson than OJ Simpson!!
Reply
Patti 10-05-2008 @ 3:27PM
LOL....TY for the laugh!
Jen 10-05-2008 @ 2:28PM
This sounds like "black henna" which isn't real henna at all. Real henna has been used safely for thousands of years. Too bad the reporter didn't make that distinction. Real henna gets a bad enough rap because of black henna without ignorant reporters making it worse.
On that note, I hope this family sues for the disfigurement of their child.
Reply
Sparkles 10-05-2008 @ 3:06PM
Who are they going to sue?? They bought it from a street stall in a foreign country!
Tip: don't stick anything to your childs FACE if you don't know what's in it or where it came from. duh.
Jen 10-05-2008 @ 3:38PM
Wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, sparkles?
Chances are that street vendor didn't just disappear into thin air and chances also are that others have had this same thing happen to their child. So, according to you, the parents are just supposed to roll over and say, "Oh, well. It will be too hard to pursue this so we just won't try."
Sorry, but if it was MY child, I would do whatever I could and if it came to no end, at least I know I tried.
DUH.
Sheronda 10-07-2008 @ 6:58PM
If it were my child they wouldn't have gotten anything that couldn't be washed off that night. ESPECIALLY while in a foreign country
Wolfster 10-05-2008 @ 3:12PM
I would never allow a child to use henna on their body. Even adults are supposed to test it on a very small area. It is well-known to be highly allergenic.
Reply
DOLBY 10-05-2008 @ 3:28PM
give me a break here, why would any parent put stickers, tatoos (fake) on their child. Nothing like being sucked in by the media..and what a double message you give your children. One is defined as fake while the other real. It is real what you are doing in that moment and it sends a message to the child. Think about why this happened! hmmmmmmmm it's natures way of telling you, somethings wrong......with parents.
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Julie 10-05-2008 @ 3:54PM
DOLBY, do you have children?? temporary tattoos are just a fun thing for the little ones.. they get to have their favorite character along with them all day long.. As long as there's no allergy, there's no harm.. If a child can't even wear a temporary tattoo as far as you're concerned, life doesnt sound very exciting....
hurnda 10-05-2008 @ 4:38PM
You're right. Most people, and parents don't understand the deeper messages they are teaching their children. Unfortunately they also become very closed and defensive when faced with the opportunity to learn otherwise. Sadly, their children must deal with those consequences later in life.
DOLBY 10-05-2008 @ 4:40PM
I have children yes, grown now. I also have tattoos and piercing, but acquired them after 50 years of age. Imprinting is something parents are doing their children these days, allowing them to simulate adults with fake tattoos, piercing, make up etc....I just voiced my opinion. This is not personal, after all they are your children. What happened to the good ole fun, go outside and play...
Namaste Dolby
May all beings everywhere,
be awakened, healed, peaceful, and free;
May there be peace in this world,
and an end to war and poverty;
and may we all together
complete the spiritual journey.
www.tapestriesntassels.com
www.mysticsoulcafe.com
www.organicngreen.com
www.facialscents.com
www.Chrisbledy.com
DOLBY 10-05-2008 @ 5:03PM
Like I told the other lady, I have children yes, grown now. I also have tattoos and piercings, but acquired them after 50 years of age. Imprinting is something parents are doing to their children these days, allowing them to simulate adults with fake tattoos, piercing, make up etc....I just voiced my opinion. This is not personal, after all, they are your children. What happened to the good ole fun, go outside and play, bake cookies etc.....Thank you for your thoughts, it is good to know there are others who agree and understand what is going on.
Namaste Dolby
May all beings everywhere,
be awakened, healed, peaceful, and free;
May there be peace in this world,
and an end to war and poverty;
and may we all together
complete the spiritual journey.
www.tapestriesntassels.com
www.mysticsoulcafe.com
www.organicngreen.com
www.facialscents.com
www.Chrisbledy.com
jeff 10-05-2008 @ 3:51PM
At least it was a good tat!
Reply
vivienne K. 10-05-2008 @ 4:06PM
All tatoos are bad and people who get them are naively foolish!
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