“Rash, pain, blisters, and bleeding.” Do we ignore the dangers of manicure? | varnish

FBuilt-in French tips Glazed cakesshimmering cat eye in high-shine chrome, grooming your nails is a beauty trend that refuses to fade. Gel polish, dip powder, acrylic coats… whatever the method, the demand for durable, chip-resistant nails is so strong that salons now Bank branches are often outnumbered on high streets In the United Kingdom.

But behind the glossy finish lies a more complicated story. Last month, E.U TPO blocked – An ingredient that helps harden gel polish under UV light – after animal studies suggested it may harm fertility or a developing fetus. The UK is expected to follow suit next year. It’s not the first safety red flag: Hema, another common ingredient, was banned in DIY nail kits in 2021 after a rise in cases of allergic contact dermatitis, a painful skin condition characterized by redness, blistering, and swelling. So how safe is gel manicure? What can you do to protect yourself?

Just a quick look at the social media hashtag #gelallergy will show what an allergic reaction to Hema looks like. “People describe a wide range of symptoms: rashes, pain, blisters, bleeding, itching, and changes in sensation in their fingertips,” says Dr. Shari Lipner, a nail dermatologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, US. She recently He analyzed 214 TikTok videos About gel allergies.

The consequences of developing an allergy to these chemicals — known as acrylates — aren’t necessarily limited to nail products, Lipner says: “Once someone develops an allergy to an acrylate, our immune system often recognizes the related chemicals, and cross-reactions are common. You can have problems with dental fillings, medical adhesives, or alternatives.” Joints, insulin pumps or lenses used in cataract surgery. It can also interact with other cosmetics. Things. If you want false eyelashes or hair extensions, they may also contain acrylate. “So it becomes a much bigger problem.”

Trimethylbenzoyldiphenylphosphine oxide (TPO) is a different type of chemical used in some gel nail polishes as a “photoinitiator,” triggering the UV curing process. If TPO poses a risk, nail salon workers, who are exposed to it and other photo-initiators day in and day out, are likely to be most at risk. “Although photocatalysts are essential in UV-curable products, there is increasing evidence of their potential toxicity,” says Professor Runzheng Liu from Shandong University in China.

His research was found in Chinese salons Photoinitiator levels in dust It was about 100 times higher than in typical indoor environments, and Chemicals at the hands of technicians About 200 times higher than the general population. Liu is also concerned about “cocktail effects” caused by simultaneous exposure to multiple photoinitiators, which may be more dangerous than any single chemical.

Whether a TPO ban is strictly necessary is still debated. “The EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has reversed its opinion on TPO, not because there is direct evidence of harm in humans, where exposure to nail products is minimal, but because animal studies have shown reproductive toxicity at high doses,” says Dr. Kelly Dubus, a cosmetic chemist at the University of Cincinnati in Ohio, US. It indicates that toxic effects on animals only occur when high doses are taken orally, which does not represent normal use.

The TPO ban does not prohibit gel manicures, only polishes containing TPO and safer alternatives are available. “This doesn’t mean people need to stop enjoying nail services,” says Dubus. “Instead, it’s a good reminder to find salons that follow best practices including proper curing, good ventilation, and trained professionals.”

However, there is the issue of implementation. Scientists at VITO, an independent research organization in Flanders, Belgium, have developed a test to detect both TPO and Hema, and are increasingly being contacted by companies that supply nail polish and other products to salons, eager to check whether their imported materials contain TPO. “Especially for raw materials purchased outside Europe – which is the majority – the label does not always match the actual contents,” says Jan Jordens, a senior researcher at Phyto.

In one case, Jordan’s team found that TPO was intentionally left out of the ingredients list when the manufacturer required a TPO-free substance, even though testing proved it was still present. In another case, the product was labeled as containing TPO, but the supplier insisted it was TPO-free. Testing confirmed that the label was incorrect.

These inconsistencies could make it difficult for European manufacturers and distributors to comply with the TPO ban — although many are making real efforts to do so, says Jordens. He suspects the same problem affects gel nail kits sold online. “This small package market is more difficult to control, because millions of packages are delivered every day to personal addresses, and customs simply cannot control everything that comes in.”

The EU and UK ban on the sale of nail products containing Hema outside professional nail salons in 2021 does not appear to have led to a reduction in allergic reactions. A Last audit The European Contact Dermatitis Research Group found that while only 1-2% of the general population suffers from allergic contact dermatitis severe enough to warrant medical care, HEMA now accounts for nearly 2% of these cases – up from 0.9% in 2016.

Millions of people still enjoy regular manicures without incident. For most, the main downside of a constant salon habit is simply weak or damaged natural nails.

Removing gels and acrylics gradually remove the layers of keratin in the nails – the protein fibers that give nails their shape and strength and help protect our fingers from damage and infection. The same applies to filing the surface to help the new nails adhere.

“In the long term, if you remove that thickness and tell the body that it doesn’t need to be thick, that won’t increase protein production and restore nail thickness,” says Adam Taylor, professor of anatomy at Lancaster University. “You’ll end up with brittle, unsightly nails, which is not what you were after in the short term.”

Leaving artificial nails – including gels – on for too long can also run the risk of moisture being trapped underneath, creating a breeding ground for fungi or bacteria, including: Pseudomonas aeruginosa – Bacteria that cause green or “green” nail syndrome, which is characterized by unsightly discoloration of the nails.

Although nail infections are usually relatively minor, they can develop into something more serious, especially if your immune system is weak or if you have other conditions such as diabetes. “Any sign of redness, soreness, swelling, or tenderness in and around the bottom of the nail is a big red flag that you should take off your artificial nails and see a doctor,” Taylor says.

So what can you do to reduce these risks? Apart from going naturalthe Society of American Academy of Dermatology She recommends using acetate soak-off gels rather than hard or acrylic gels that need to be filed. It can still leave your nails brittle or peeling, but because they are flexible, your nails are less likely to crack.

She also suggests choosing salons that use LED lights instead of traditional UV lights, as they harden nail polish faster and emit lower doses of UV rays, which reduces the risk of skin cancer.

“If you are putting your hands under UV light, I advocate wearing cotton gloves with the fingertips cut off to protect against UV rays, or at least wearing sunscreen — factor 30 or higher,” Taylor says.

Do not cut the skin, which acts as a natural barrier against fungi and bacteria. Also consider giving your nails breaks between treatments to allow them to recover.

Lipner advises caution rather than complete avoidance, although she avoids gels and acrylics herself, saying she’s “risk averse.” “I don’t think people need to skip nail polish completely, but salon and at-home tools do carry some risks, so I advise my patients to consider them with their eyes wide open.”

Lipner suggests choosing a salon where the technicians wear gloves, and you can see their training certificates. “You should also ask some important questions: Are your technicians trained to do gel nails? Are your lights new? Are they maintained?”

At home, follow instructions carefully, avoid skin contact, and watch out for adverse reactions: “If there is redness, itching, or peeling around the nails, that’s a red flag,” Lipner says.

As we chat on a video call, I catch a flash of perfectly shaped red nails. “It’s just regular nail polish,” she laughs. But it serves as a quiet reminder: There are safer alternatives.