Re: breats/nipples...
Posted by Catherine Cartwright Jones on March 19, 1998 at 17:39:03:
In Reply to: breats/nipples... posted by dannie on March 19, 1998 at 05:06:53:
For an answer to "will it work on---part of my body" have a quick
read of my last post on "questions for professionals"
marked 04:17:33.....I'll recap it here
Be patient, this is science class here...
Skin is made up of many layers. I'll spare you the medical terms.
There is one layer which hennotannic acid molecules bond with
molecules in our skin cells. That layer is the outer layer, which is
recently deceased cells. This layer is replaced about every 4 weeks by
the sloughing off of the deadest cells, and the outward growth of new
cells from underneath. This layer is of varying thicknesses across
your body. On your palms, soles, cuticles, knuckles and elbows, there
is a thicker layer of dead cells. That's why your henna takes
vividly and there and lasts longer. Other parts of your body have a
very thin top layer. Your breasts have a very thin layer of dead
cells. Therefore, henna hasn't as much to bond with on your breasts.
You will get a light henna take, and it will vanish more quickly.
If you want to guess where henna will take well, feel around the area
with your eyes closed and and you can feel the thickness of the skin
with a little practice. The other method is to scratch with a pin, and
see what bleeds, and what doesn't (but that's another fetish entirely)
....that's to say, areas like your heels have a very thick outer
layer, and don't scratch easily... My post menopausal skin has some
very thin areas indeed, which take henna very poorly, and those parts
bleed at the lightest scratch.
Therefore, if it's dead skin, henna bonds with it. Hair is dead skin
(the skin cells are just specialized....) fingernails are dead skin
(another specialized skin cell) The most vivid and long lasting
hennaeing I ever did was on a goatskin drum head.
Hair dye? Probably not....most packets of henna for hair have other
ingredients (which they may not be disclosing, depending on country of
origin) which may prevent the staining of hands, or which may not be
kind to your hands. Look for 100% pure natural red henna leaf powder,
at a health foods store, or from a Pakistani or Arab grocery store, or
ride a search engine on the internet for "henna powder" or "mehandi"
and you'll find what you need.