Woman in agony after black henna treatment

American taken to hospital after allergic reaction to the banned beauty product.

Germaletta Brown displays the burns she suffered to her legs after a black henna treatment. Delores Johnson / The National
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AL AIN // In preparation for her family’s summer trip to the United States, last month kindergarten teacher Germaletta Brown and her seven-year-old daughter went to a salon to have henna done.

Three weeks later, she was connected to an intravenous drip and prescribed a cocktail of more than 14 drugs after having an allergic reaction to the black henna that was applied to her arms and legs.

“I just thought it was neat. We were going home for the summer, and most of the other teachers get henna. I didn’t think anything was wrong with it. My daughter was excited about getting it,” she said.

Her daughter was spared her agony after settling on brown henna, which at the time Ms Brown said was a better match for her complexion.

American and Al Ain hospitals have both confirmed her reaction was caused by black henna, which is banned in Abu Dhabi and Dubai – a fact Ms Brown said she was unaware of when visiting the salon on July 16.

Despite this, she said the salon’s managers told her they would not cover the expenses she has incurred from the ordeal, which total more than US$50,000 (Dh183,620) alone for US hospital bills – plus the cost of the prescription drugs.

When contacted, a salon staff member said the owner was on holiday. Another confirmed they were aware of the incident but could not comment as the matter could be subject to litigation.

“I want them to accept responsibility for what they’ve done,” said Ms Brown.

She has since filed a report with Al Ain police.

Ms Brown, who arrived in the UAE with her husband and three children in September last year, said she first noticed “a few bumps” on her arms about 15 days after the application while in the US.

A preliminary visit to an emergency room at a Wyoming hospital on July 29 was an “in-and-out” affair that included a prescription for allergy medication, topical cream and a $450 bill, she said.

By August 5, while in Missouri to celebrate her grandmother’s birthday, the reaction turned from an itch to intense and unbearable pain. This led to another hospital visit.

“When I walked in to the ER, I just remembered screaming at the top of my lungs,” she said. “I was crying and screaming, it was ridiculous.

“The only way I could explain it to the doctor was that it felt like someone was frying something on my legs.”

Ms Brown said she was immediately connected to an intravenous drip, received five doses of morphine and was administered other drugs, including OxyContin.

“The pain was so excruciating that they literally had to keep her sedated on IV meds for days before they tried to give her anything oral,” said her mother, Darlene Dyson, who lives in Colorado.

Now back in the UAE, Ms Brown wants the salon owner held accountable.

She recorded the incident with her phone and after showing salon staff the video, she said they began apologising and confessing that they were aware of the dangers of black henna.

The incident has forced her family to split temporarily, as money earmarked for their children’s education has now been spent on medical expenses. Her children are back in the US in the public school system, she said.

Once all her expenses are calculated, she estimated the costs could be as high as $100,000.

She does not know how much will be covered by her health plan, and is considering creating an online crowdfunding campaign to help pay her bills.

Ms Brown is on leave from work while recovering and waiting to hear from medical officials if she will require skin-graft surgery.

esamoglou@thenational.ae