Charlie Wallace, pictured on holiday with another tattoo on the same arm, could be scarred for life by the henna tattoo
A ten-year-old boy could be permanently scarred after getting horrific injuries from a henna tattoo on holiday in Turkey.
Charlie Wallace has now been left with the pattern burned into his arm and told he must keep the area out of the sun for two years as a result of the injury.
Now his angry mother, Pauline Wallace, has warned other parents of the dangers of henna after allowing the schoolboy to get a swirling pattern inked on his arm as a treat during their break in Marmaris.
Mrs Wallace, 36, from South Ockendon, Essex, said: ‘We went to Marmaris in Turkey and Charlie had a tattoo done in the first week of the holiday.
‘I had my doubts about it but he was really insistent and I asked holidaymakers and the reps at the complex and they said it was fine, there was no problem.
‘He had one and it was fine.
‘When the last day was coming, he wanted one to show his friends.
‘We went back and it was a different lady. A few hours after it was done it started swelling up.
‘I was absolutely petrified - I was worried it would start to eat away at the skin or be poisonous.’
The family flew home the next day, June 20, and over the next four days, the pattern began to swell, get itchy and blister.
At home, he went to hospital to have his arm checked. Doctors bandaged his arm and said he would have to come in after a couple of days to get it changed.
Charlie Wallace's arms blistered after his henna tattoo and, weeks later, he is left with an ugly pink scar
But hours later the wound had wept through the dressing and needed to be changed.
Since returning from holiday, Charlie has missed a month of school and been in pain from the scar.
He had to sleep propped up on pillows to keep the wound clear because his family were not able to bandage it for any length of time.
Now the henna pattern has been burned into his arm leaving a swirl of tender, pink skin, which the doctor said could be permanent.
Mrs Wallace, who lives with husband Steve, a taxi driver, said she wanted to warn other parents of the dangers.
She said: ‘This is a problem that needs to be highlighted.
‘It is the school holidays coming up and if ten mums read this and stop their children getting henna tattoos its worthwhile.
‘I don’t want other people, especially little kids, going through what Charlie has been through.
‘There were no warnings in the tattoo shop - it was a reputable tattoo parlour on the complex.
‘Charlie only wanted the tattoo temporarily to show his mates now he realises he might have it for good he is quite upset.’
But hours later the tattoo began to swell, getting red and itchy.
Over the next four days the pattern got inflamed and blistered.
Since returning home to Stanford-Le-Hope, Essex, Charlie has had to visit Basildon Hospital four times.
He has missed a month of lessons at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School and hopes to return on Monday.
Source: Daily Mail UK, July 10, 2008
Holiday henna warning as boy, 10, is scarred for life after tattoo goes horrifically wrong 
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