California Influencer Nick Nayersina was on a trip to Bangkok with friends when a late-night tattoo decision spiraled into a week-long medical scare. Everyone, take notes on what not to do in Thailand.
In an Instagram video posted on Nov. 14, Nick explained that he and five of his friends decided to get matching Mike Tyson-style black henna face tattoos while drunk. They got the work done from a street-side artist in the city, and woke up in agony the next day. What Nick did not know at the time was that black henna is considered unsafe in the U.S. It is known to potentially cause burns, infections, and permanent scarring due to the presence of chemical additives.
But what was done was done. By the next morning, Nick’s face had begun reacting. In his first video update, he showed blistering, oozing skin where the tattoo had been applied. “My whole tattoo is blistering and oozing… I might have a permanent Mike Tyson tattoo on my face,” he told his followers. His friends, who got the same design, appeared to have similar redness, peeling, and scabbing reactions.
What happened to Nick Nayersina?
People were immediately hooked, worried for his well-being. So, over the next several days, Nick documented his situation daily. On day 2, he said the henna and his skin were “starting to peel,” describing the area as burning like a sunburn. He added that professionals told him it “might scar” or “might go away,” but there was no way to know yet.
Still on his Thailand trip, Nick was set to spend his next day out in the sun. While on boats in the sun, Nick shared that the tattoo was blistering more, and he was trying to protect it with sunscreen and a towel. He said he was worried about sun damage but couldn’t “stop living life.”
Nick’s tattoo got worse at sea
On day 4, Nick posted himself jumping into the ocean, saying he had heard that saltwater “heals” henna reactions. He mentioned it was stinging, but continued anyway. However, the redness increased. In his day 5 update, he said the saltwater had peeled the henna off, but the sun exposure had made the reaction worse.
The influencer then taped a cloth over the area and said he had spoken with his dermatologist in the U.S., who advised scar cream and strict sun protection. Black henna reactions are known to worsen dramatically with UV exposure, but the damage was already done.
Latest update on Nick Nayersina’s tattoo
On day 6, the latest update on his Instagram, Nick said the tattoo was “officially scarring.” A red outline has formed where the design had been, and he’s been asked to take utmost care of the scar. However, Nick humorously announced, “Maybe I should just buy into actually getting done the real Mike Tyson tattoo. Mike, if you’re out there, we can match.”
What began as a drunk decision for the poor guy turned into a serious chemical burn, a week of pain, and possibly a permanent mark on his face. The influencer revealed that he’s preparing to fly back to the U.S. and asked followers to recommend scar specialists. Let’s hope he finds one and can put this nightmare behind him soon.
