A DOCTOR has warned of the hidden dangers of trendy henna tattoos after a girl was left scarred by its dye.

Bethany Ainsworth, five, had to be referred to a skin specialist who did a patch test,

It was found she had suffered an allergic reaction to the dye, called paraphenylenediamine or PPD, which can cause severe skin conditions.

The black dye, also found in hair colourant, was used in the cat tattoo she had done on a family holiday in Alcudia, Majorca.

It could take up to two years for the scar on her arm to fade and Bethany may have been struck by painful skin problems in the future if the allergy to the potentially harmful dye had not been detected.

The child's mother, who says their GP was "horrified," by what he saw, has urged the parents of any other youngsters suffering a reaction to a tattoo to seek tests.

The could pinpoint possible trouble in the future.

Bethany, a pupil at Baxenden Church of England School, was taken to see her doctor after her arm became red, itchy and warm to the touch 10 days after she had the tattoo.

Her GP, who at first told her worried mother Elaine he was thinking of sending her to see a plastic surgeon, then made an appointment for her to see a dermatologist after steroid cream failed to stop the redness.

Today the consultant who treated Bethany revealed the tattoos probably have the "tiniest amount," of henna in them but contained mostly PPD.

The dye, banned in Germany, can be found as the main constituent in permanent hair colours and PPD is also in some clothing dyes .

In the UK, any product containing the dye has by law to have a warning label on it.

Dr Ian Coulson said: "Bethany's scar will fade but the biggest implication to her is if she ever used a hair dye.

"Had we not patch tested and warned her, she could have got a severe reaction on her scalp."

Bethany lives with her mum, sisters nine-year-old Sarah, who also had a tattoo, and Hannah, one, and their mother's boyfriend Ian Livesey in Sedbergh Close, Accrington.

She had the tattoo, which was meant to last a couple of weeks, done on the last day of their holiday in Alcudia in July.

Elaine said she allowed Bethany and Sarah to have the tattoos done because she assumed they were just henna and did not foresee any problems because it was a natural dye.

She said: "Her arm where she had had the tattoo was red and raised. It looked as if somebody had used a laser.

"I tried to touch her arm but she pulled it away and said it was itching. Elaine urged anybody else suffering a reaction after a henna tattoo to see a doctor and ask for tests.