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Dust entry

Henna dust

Plant-derived henna dye powder handled during hair and skin coloring and related preparation work.

Airborne form

dust

The form describes what is suspended in air at the point of exposure. A material can produce more than one form, such as dust during handling and fume during heating.

Health effects

occupational asthma concernrespiratory sensitizationallergic respiratory symptoms

Evidence

The UK HSE review states that henna can induce occupational asthma, reports confirmation by bronchial-challenge testing, and classifies henna as a respiratory sensitiser based on its review criteria.

Source: pdf ↗ · saved source
page 101 · C33: HENNA — Summary and conclusion · 1
The ability of henna to induce occupational asthma has been confirmed by bronchial challenge testing. The underlying mechanism appears to be immunological in nature, and measurements of specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) in exposed workers indicate that at least part of the allergenicity is due to a minor component or impurity that is present at higher concentration in black as compared to red henna. There is sufficient evidence to conclude that henna meets the revised EU criteria (1996) for classification as respiratory sensitiser (a cause of asthma) and labelling with R42.

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