An American tourist has issued a grim warning to those heading overseas after a night out in Bangkok left him with a blistering, oozing facial injury that may scar permanently.

Content creatorNick Nayersinawas holidaying in Thailand with friends when a few too many drinks led to what he described as a ‘great idea’ at the time – getting matching black henna Mike Tyson-style face tattoos from a street vendor.

The decision, made in the chaos of a big night out, quickly became a medical disaster.

‘We’re in Bangkok and went out last night and for some reason we had the great idea of getting black henna Mike Tyson tattoos,’ he told his followers.

‘I didn’t know that black henna is illegal in the US and can lead to permanent scarring and infection on your face. My whole tattoo is blistering and oozing.’

He said he’d since discovered that ‘a lot of people’ who went to the same vendor ended up with permanent scarring, and admitted he was terrified he might now have a Mike Tyson tattoo shape burnt into his skin forever.

‘This is no joke,’ he warned.

‘Don’t come to Bangkok and get a black henna tattoo while really drunk with your friends because it could lead to this.’

Two days later, the situation worsened as his skin started peeling and burning.

‘It’s starting to burn into my face as a scar. My skin is irritated and sensitive and having a reaction. I’ve talked to a few professionals who said it might scar or it might go away. There’s still pus coming out and it feels like a sunburn,’ he said.

The cause is something most tourists have no idea about: black henna isn’t ‘real’ henna at all.

Unlike traditional brown or ‘natural’ henna, which comes from ground henna leaves mixed with water or coffee, black henna is often blended with a chemical dye called paraphenylenediamine (PPD).

PPD is legal in hair dye under strict conditions, but when applied directly to the skin – especially on the face – it can cause severe burns, blistering, infections and permanent scarring.

It’s banned for skin use in Australia, the US, and much of Europe, yet remains common in tourist hotspots where vendors favour the darker, longer-lasting colour because it looks like a tattoo.

‘Black henna is not a natural substance – it is mixed with PPD which changes the colour and reacts quickly on the skin,’ a warning from the Australian Government reads.

‘It is illegal to use this substance on a client’s skin in Australia, but is likely to be used in some overseas holiday destinations, such as Bali.’

Other side effects include sensitisation dermatitis, throat irritation, bronchial asthma, nausea, a sore throat and light headedness.

Nick’s ordeal is a familiar one in holiday-heavy destinations like Thailand and Bali, where tourists often take risks they’d never consider at home – especially after drinking.

Add in food poisoning, contaminated water, and the temptation to save money on street-side services, and many Australians find themselves learning the hard way that overseas rules and safety standards are not the same as home.

Doctors say these incidents often follow a predictable pattern: alcohol lowers judgement, travellers feel invincible, and local vendors don’t always warn them about ingredients, hygiene standards or long-term consequences.

What seems like a harmless, funny holiday moment can escalate into a weeks-long (and potentially expensive) medical disaster.

Nick hopes sharing his ordeal will stop someone else making the same mistake.