Nail Product Allergies

IKON.IQ NAILS
NAIL DESIGN EXCELLENCE
STOCKHOLM
NAIL PRODUCT ALLERGIES
FACT-BASED
INFORMATION
F O R N AIL SAL O N S AND SAL O N CUSTO MERS
Short guide with advice on what causes nail product allergies,
how to avoid them and how to choose a safe nail salon.

What is an
skin contact allergy?
—
A skin contact allergy is a reaction
by the immune system that is trying
to protect us from potentially harmful
substances that can be liquids or
solids. These substances are called
allergens or sensitisers and most
of them occur in nature! Allergen
examples include nickel, latex, bee
stings, pollen, etc.
Unfortunately, while the immune
system has good intentions, it is not
very smart! So it can get fooled by
synthetic (man-made) substances
that it thinks are one of natures
potentially harmful substances.
—
Allergies don’t appear overnight;
they can take months or years
to develop. But once an
allergy occurs, it is for life.
The immune system will neer forget that
specific allergen. Even if there is no skin
contact with the allergen for a period of
time, the smallest skin contact can trigger
the allergic reaction again.
Worse still, once an allergy develops,
the immune system goes onto heightened
alert, so it becomes much easier and faster
to develop allergies to other allergens in
future.
It is a common misunderstanding that
nailproducts cause allergies This is not
correct, an allergy is a reaction to one
or more specific ingredients in the nail
products that you use.
It starts with Over Exposure!
Before an allergy occurs, there is a long
and repeated period of skin contact with the
allergen. During this period of over
exposure the skin will show signs of
irritation, redness or inflammation.
—
Only if these symptoms are ignored,
will an allergy finally develop.
So allergies are entirely
preventable.
An allergy can’t be caused by a
chemical vapour. Chemical vapours
from the nail products can’t
cause an allergy, but inhaling
vapours or dust can cause other
lung illnesses such as asthma,
chemical pneumonia and chronic
obstructive pulmonary diso der
(COPD). COPD can be life
threatening.
—

How to avoid
an allergy?
Remember that to become over exposed
and develop an allergy, means that
there has been prolonged and repetitive
skin contact with uncured or undercured
nail product, or product dust. So
taking steps to avoid skin contact is the
#1 priority!
Nitrile gloves
Do wear nitrile gloves. These should
conform to the EU Chemical Resistance
specification EN 374-3 or higher. Or if
in doubt select a glove that is at least
8mil / 0.19mm thick. Or double-glove
with thinner gloves. Longer cuff gloves
give more protection.
Dispose of the gloves after each client.
Barrier cream
As an extra layer of protection, consider
wearing a skin barrier cream under
the gloves and on your arms. This is
NOT an alternative to wearing nitrile
gloves. But as you probably use hand
cream anyway, it makes sense to use a
barrier cream, that will also help you
to avoid eczema from frequent hand
washing.
Use the correct UV lamp
According to the
British Association of
Dermatologists, the
number of reported
nail product allergies
has reached epidemic
levels. The #1 cause
is using the wrong UV lamp for the gels
and gel polishes, as this often causes
under-cured gel dust.
Not all dust is visible. If you use an
e-File, this also creates invisible dust
that will float in the air. With each
client this dust pollution increases in
the salon. This invisible dust will land
on any skin that is exposed, including
According to the British Association of Dermatologists, the three main nail
product ingredients that cause skin contact allergies are:
• 2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate (HEMA)
• 2-Hydroxypropyl methacrylate (2-HPMA)
• Ethyl Acrylate
the chest area, neck and face, and can
cause a reaction in those areas.
Tidyness
Keep the nail desk clean and free from
dust and change the disposable towel
after every clients. Otherwise it is too
easy, especially in summer, to rest an
bare arm on this dust and develop
an allergic reaction there, like in the
photo
above.
If you wipe monomer in your brush
onto a pad, be careful not to rest your
arm in this.
Client
Avoid the skin surrounding the nail
during application.
Wiping the inhibition (sticky) layer.
When wiping the gel or gel polish
inhibition layer, start with the smallest
finger and wipe from the cuticle to the
free edge to avoid dragging the wiping
liquid and dissolved uncured gel onto
the clients skin. Wipe the remaining
fingers of that hand from small to big.
Then use a fresh pad to wipe the other
hand and repeat this procedure.
What to do if you think you
might have an allergy
1. Visit a dermatologist. They will
test which ingredient(s) you
react to.
2. Find products that don’t contain
them (this group can help)
3. Change behaviour. Wear nitrile
gloves at least 0.19mm thick or
double-glove. Use one brand
of gels/gel-polishes and use
recommended UV lamp. Invest in
an air filter system that contains
HEPA dust filters and at least
1kg active carbon filter - cheaper
that having to change career
and having to dispose of all your
nail products.

Choosing a safe
nail salon
Look out for the red flags!
1. Does the salon have a chemical smell?
2. Are the same nail files and tools used on
multiple customers?
3. Are education certificates displayed in visible sight?
4. Are the working surfaces clean and dust free?
5. Were you asked to wash your hands?
6. Did they spray sanitiser liquid on your hands after
washing?
7. Did the Nail Technician wash their hands?
8. Does the Nail Technician wear gloves?
9. Is the Nail Technician using gel, acrylic or gel polish
from brand labelled jars or bottles?
10. Do you feel pain after the artificial nails have been
applied?
Possible infections
include:
1. Hepatitis
2. e.Coli
3. Staphylococcus aureus
4. TB
5. HIV 1
6. Hepatitis C
7. MRSA
About
The “Say No To Allergies” campaign is a brand and product neutral campaign created by Iryna and Bob
Giblett, in response to the British Association of Dermatologists recent statement that “nail product allergies
have reached epidemic levels”. The objective of this compaign is to provide fact-based information to
both Nail Salons and nail salon clients so that both can make better informed choices.
Iryna is a veteran Nail Technician, Competition Judge and Competition Champion who studied Chemistry
and Biology. Prior to becoming a Nail Technician, Iryna worked as a Microbiologist at the government
health laboratory in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Bob is an engineer who also works in the nail industry. He is enjoys writing articles for nail magazines and
is a regular poster on Facebook, sharing advice on the prevention of nail product allergies and the
European Cosmetics directive.
For additional support and advice, we welcome Nail Technicians to the following Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.product.allergies/
www.saynotoallergies.today