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 2 of 2)
mikhyel 10-05-2008 @ 5:20PM
All 'tatoos' are bad? What about tattoos? I've got several, but at least I can spell. Oh, and I also don't feel that I have the right to dictate to others what they should put on their bodies. Yes, this kid's situation sucks, but that doesn't mean that all tattoos, permanent or not, are bad.
sammie200718 10-05-2008 @ 6:45PM
all tattoos are bad? really.wow does that mean every person with a tattoo is going to Hell now? well, guess I better grab my summer wear.....
jenn 10-05-2008 @ 4:26PM
A friend of mines son had the same reaction happen to him..and he is in the United States. bought the Tattoo out of one of the many machines we all see in almost every single store. He had used these before and never had a reaction..even bought from the same machine before..we found it extremely odd, it looks like a burned imprint actually..and he was given steroid creme as well. im going to go see him tomorrow, will be interesting to see if it has gone away, since it has been a few months..poor kids.
and to vivienne K. who made you God and able to judge everyone? I feel sorry for you really..closed minded, judging foolish person that you are.
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hurnda 10-05-2008 @ 4:31PM
Too many parents don't stop to think about the UNINTENTIONAL CONSEQUENCES of a lot of things they allow children to do, hear, and see. They will probably eventually learn from their mistakes, but after the damage is done.
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xofieldhawk14 10-05-2008 @ 4:53PM
HENNA IS SAFE. you just need to make sure you have the real stuff. It's been used forever and it conditions your hair and skin. and you do not need to test it before you use it. I've been using it for as long as I can remember.
It also wouldn't have such a bad rep if people stopped calling it "fake tattoo" it's original use is to decorate the skin and it's a cultural thing and kids do use it and it def comes off without an allergic reaction.
It's about as harmful to anyone as the grass in your yard is.
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Leana Jo 10-05-2008 @ 4:51PM
Henna isn't good for anything, really. It's also used for hair dye too (it's a natural form of hair dye). Bad stuff. It's hard to strip off and it's damaging to the hair, very badly. I never touch Henna and never will.
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Stardogg 10-05-2008 @ 6:05PM
Henna is so not damaging to hair. Maybe some of those fake "henna" hair dyes are, but not real henna. It's actually conditioning. Maybe we shouldn't be "stripping" our hair to begin with, I've seen that do more damage to hair than anything else.
Journey 10-06-2008 @ 2:50PM
I've safely used natural henna hair dye for years. I've only died my hair with chemicals once. The chemicals were far more damaging, while the henna has some excellent conditioning properties.
If you have never had a henna treatment, how can you say anything about it?
mike 10-05-2008 @ 5:18PM
the parents a moron... the kid is three - plenty of time to look like a bar rat like his mother
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mike 10-05-2008 @ 5:17PM
the parents a moron... the kid is three - plenty of time to look like a bar rat like his mother
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gracey 10-05-2008 @ 5:51PM
I agree that temporary tattoos for kids is just fun, but giving a
three year old a henna seems a bit on the irresponsible side in the
first place. and then you see the tattoo they gave him. Not only is
it Bart Simpson, which is not a children's cartoon, it is Bart
Simpson rubbing his butt. In what way could this have possibly been a
good idea?
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Stardogg 10-05-2008 @ 6:05PM
The only reason I've found (in over 15 years of professionally doing henna) not to give a 3 year old a henna tattoo (as long as it's REAL henna) is that it's a waste of money for the parents. A 3 year old usually can't even sit long enough to get it, let alone wait for it to dry and set. Real henna does not cause these horrible reactions. FAKE, "BLACK HENNA" does.
AZ Diana 10-05-2008 @ 6:20PM
man why does ppl be stupid.to do that i mean u never know its bad for ur child
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AZ Diana 10-05-2008 @ 6:23PM
i feel bad for that child.id cry.
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Leann 10-05-2008 @ 6:24PM
Do you have any idea what an awesome story that will be when he turn 18? lol "Dude when/how did you get ure bart simpson tattoo?" Well... I had gotten a henna tattoo done when I was 3, but I had such a horrible reaction to it, it permanently tattooed me...
Seriously, I would be like dude, that's freaking awesome..
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AZ Diana 10-05-2008 @ 6:28PM
i think that wouldent be cool
C 10-07-2008 @ 11:26AM
I think this tattoo CRAZE have gotten out of hand for all ages, old & young. Why does a 3 year old need a tattoo? Maybe someone can learn a lesson from this.
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