Boy’s Tattoo For Good Behavior Scars His Back: 7-Year-Old’s May Have To Stay Out Of Sun 2 Years

A British boy’s tattoo that he got for good behavior is turning into a bad thing. Seven-year-old Liam Sayer was allowed to get a henna tattoo of his favorite Star Wars character, Darth Maul, while he was on vacation in Egypt with his parents. About a week after returning home on his birthday, the boy experienced terrible pain on his back due to his skin’s reaction from the ink used.

The Daily Mail reports that after enduring a month of terrible pain, the ink has faded, but the face of Darth Maul is scarred on his badly damaged back. He has suffered welts, rashes, and blemishes all over his entire back.

Unfortunately, the healing process for Liam will be a dreaded one. Doctors tell him to stay inside and avoid sun for the rest of the summer. Furthermore, the boy’s mother — Sharon Sayer — has been warned that her son may have to avoid the sun altogether for the next two years while his body heals from the condition.

The whole experience has upset Liam. He shares:

“My mum and dad said I could get the tattoo on the last day of our holiday if I was a good boy, and I was a good boy every day. Darth Maul from the ‘Phantom Menace’ is my favourite ‘Star Wars’ character. I was so happy. But then on my birthday I woke up and it was all sore. I hate it. It hurts so much. I wish I had not had it done. My summer has been spoiled and I was really looking forward to playing out with my friends.”

Sharon and Liam’s 4-year-old sister, Lacey, also got a henna tattoos, but they didn’t have the same reaction he did. Sharon had a tattoo on her leg and a small flower was inked on Lacey.

Sharon hasn’t had any luck getting a hold of someone in Egypt over the situation. The mother from Essex, England says:

“I told the hotel what had happened, and the holiday company, but nobody has even emailed me back. I just want to warn other people to steer clear of henna tattoos. Liam is scarred for life now, and may be stuck inside for two years if he starts getting more of a reaction to sunlight. It’s ruined all of our lives. I feel so sorry for him.”

In the meantime the boy’s tattoo scar is being treated with antibiotics, steroid creams, and medical washes.

According to a 2012 report out by The National, black henna ink contains the chemical p-Phenylenediamine (PPD), a component found in most hair dyes. It’s known to cause severe and painful sores if the body is triggered by an allergic reaction.

[Image via Daily Mail]