Nail polish allergy, ways around it?

[michienails]

Hi I'm really hoping for help from some experienced nail techs. I'm a nail hobbyist, and I started developing a gel nail polish allergy and had to stop for the foreseeable future. But I have so many questions about ways to go around it and alternatives.

For one, if the gel polish is only on the nail, could it still affect the skin around it? this may seem like a silly question but I'm totally new to this. I've thought about putting latex peel around the nail to avoid any contact with uncured product? Do you think that could that work? I feel dumb even asking but I'm geniunely curious.

Also.. the allergy developed on my hands, so while my hands heal I've been thinking about test swatching different brand formulations on my toe nails to see if an allergic reaction occurs. This also seems silly but would the same allergic reaction on my hands affect my toes too? Or would I have to also test on my hands to accurately see if there's any reaction?

Now about alternatives, I heard HEMA is a common chemical that causes reaction so I purchased the Bio Seaweed Gel to test out. Are there any brands you would recommend using on clients with allergies that aren't too sure what exactly they might be allergic to?

I would really appreciate any knowledge on the topic! Thank you!!!

 

[CFBS]

Your best way forward would be to get allergy tested so you know exactly which chemicals affect you.
Once you know this, you can then look at product ingredients and make an informed choice.

 

[alicia_bakshi]

CFBS advice is the only way to deal with this. You need to request an Acrylate specific allergy test from your GP/dermatologist. Without knowing specifically what you are allergic to switching brands is pointless and may result in further exposure.

Remember to notify your dentist and orthopaedist if you are diagnosed with an Acrylate allergy

 

[BobSweden]

There are two aspects to nail ingredient allergies:

• which ingredients you react to
• what behaviour contributed to developing an allergy.

As others have recommended, visit a dermatologist and ask for a Methacrylate patch test. This will test for 13 of the most common ingredients that cause allergies (but not all, there are many more that are not included in the standard test).

Once you have the result, you can look for products that don't contain the ingredients you react to. Or, a better choice is to change to a hypoallergenic product that doesn't contain ANY of the ingredients in that patch test, or any other ingredient proven to cause allergies when used in nail products. (Our speciality).

However, it's important to understand that developing allergies also increases the sensitivity of the immune system. How sensitive depends on genetics and the number of ingredient allergies the person has. If someone has allergies to many ingredients - usually because they developed an initial reaction, changed brand, developed more allergies, etc - then they can become so sensitive that even the gentle ingredients used in hypoallergenic products will not help.

While HEMA is the most common nail product allergen in many countries, it is extremely rare for someone to only be allergic to HEMA. HEMA is a gateway allergen, which means once a person becomes allergic to this, it encourages allergies to other ingredients. This is why most people show allergies to 3 to 4 ingredients when tested for the first time.

It is also important to understand why the allergy developed. Yes, there are products in the market that contain high concentrations of higher risk ingredients that make it much easier to develop allergies - these products originate in China.

But for an allergy to develop there MUST have been repeated skin contact of uncured or undercured product. So to avoid further allergies, it is CRITICAL to find out how this skin contact happened.

One of the most common reasons, is use of a LED/UV lamp that does not fully cure the gel, polygel or gel polish - especially if the product is soaked-off - then the uncured ingredients will come into skin contact when the remover liquid is applied.
And it is important to also understand than many brands don't have the ability to test their lamp correctly.

99.99% of all brands simply buy standard gel polish from a gel factory and then buy a standard lamp from a lamp factory. Even if they had the lab equipment to test how well a product is cured, they are not able to modify the gel polish formula or the specifications of the lamp to ensure that these are properly matched.

 

[TeganHo]

Hi. I'm sorry to hear that you developed an allergy to gel polish. Here are some answers to your questions:

• If the gel polish is only on the nail, it is unlikely to affect the skin around it. However, if the product touches the skin, it may cause a reaction. Using a latex peel around the nail can be a good idea to avoid any contact with uncured product.
• Allergies can develop anywhere on the body, so it's possible for the same allergic reaction to occur on your toes as well. It's a good idea to test swatch on both your hands and toes to accurately see if there's any reaction.
• Bio Seaweed Gel is a good option to test out, as it is free of the common allergens found in gel polish such as HEMA, and is also cruelty-free and vegan. Other brands you could consider are Madam Glam and Gelish, as they offer a variety of options for those with allergies.

It's important to note that allergies can be unpredictable, so it's always best to do a patch test on a small area before applying any product to the entire nail. It's also a good idea to consult with a dermatologist or allergist for advice on managing your allergy.

 

[jlsdds]

Still chuckling over @michienails referring to herself as a nail ‘hobbyist’.

Oh, the risks involved when one decides to save a bit of time and $£, doing to themselves what only a professional should be doing.

 

[michienails]

Still chuckling over @michienails referring to herself as a nail ‘hobbyist’.

Oh, the risks involved when one decides to save a bit of time and $£, doing to themselves what only a professional should be doing.

Wanting to learn to do something for yourself isn’t that unheard of. I have a passion for nail art. I love the detail and precision that goes into it. I used to only practice on press on nails and ofcourse the first few times I tried on my actual fingernails I discovered the gel polish allergy. I’ve always had very sensitive skin but I didn’t think I could develop it so quickly even after being so careful.

Growing up I wasnt allowed to pursue my dreams of becoming a nail tech. Im in another field but I want to still pursue my other passions on the side for myself.


There are hobbyists everywhere, people who work on their own cars etc. and we all make mistakes. It’s part of the learning process. I’m sure there are professionals who’ve made a few mistakes as well.


I’m not a hobbyist to save a quick buck or some time because most times a set will take me hours to paint by hand I geniunely love the process and have invested so much money into it. I’m just trying to learn from experienced techs if there’s any way around it or if I have to ultimately let go of hopes of ever being able to do my own nail sets that are not press ons.


You have no idea how many hours a week I watch tutorials of nail techs building nails on nail forms. Watching acrylic nails being made is so satisfying.. it’s actually so disheartening to know that I’ll never be able to do them or wear them on myself.
Anyway, I’m not writing this all to come at you. I just wanted you to know where I’m coming from. And that not everyone has a disregard for the time and work a professional does. Hobbyists geniunely want to learn it as the art form that it is . And while I admit my questions were silly and I felt stupid even asking. I’m just thankful that I could learn from professionals in a setting where I never would have been able to In school.

 

[Charlie276]

Wanting to learn to do something for yourself isn’t that unheard of. I have a passion for nail art. I love the detail and precision that goes into it. I used to only practice on press on nails and ofcourse the first few times I tried on my actual fingernails I discovered the gel polish allergy. I’ve always had very sensitive skin but I didn’t think I could develop it so quickly even after being so careful.

Growing up I wasnt allowed to pursue my dreams of becoming a nail tech. Im in another field but I want to still pursue my other passions on the side for myself.


There are hobbyists everywhere, people who work on their own cars etc. and we all make mistakes. It’s part of the learning process. I’m sure there are professionals who’ve made a few mistakes as well.


I’m not a hobbyist to save a quick buck or some time because most times a set will take me hours to paint by hand I geniunely love the process and have invested so much money into it. I’m just trying to learn from experienced techs if there’s any way around it or if I have to ultimately let go of hopes of ever being able to do my own nail sets that are not press ons.


You have no idea how many hours a week I watch tutorials of nail techs building nails on nail forms. Watching acrylic nails being made is so satisfying.. it’s actually so disheartening to know that I’ll never be able to do them or wear them on myself.
Anyway, I’m not writing this all to come at you. I just wanted you to know where I’m coming from. And that not everyone has a disregard for the time and work a professional does. Hobbyists geniunely want to learn it as the art form that it is . And while I admit my questions were silly and I felt stupid even asking. I’m just thankful that I could learn from professionals in a setting where I never would have been able to In school.

Well done you for such a lovely response when you could have been easily offended and bitten back. Please don’t worry about responses like that one, the nail industry has been hit hard with covid and now allergies are threatening it as well. Techs are just worried and scared about their livelihoods and I think get tired of seeing home users developing allergies. However it is not just home users although they are a huge part of the problem, there a plenty of bad nail techs using unsafe products to. Even a lot of pro brands aren’t what I would class as safe.

I don’t think you should put anything on your toes as you will still likely react. Hema is also not the whole issue, there is many ingredients you can react to. I would say you could try a well known safe brand on one nail as a test but the problem is these are all pro products that aren’t sold without the qualification certificates so unless some brands change their rules on that you won’t be able to access them. Light elegance has just started to allow home users in one part of America to purchase their products so maybe that will be rolled out further in years to come.

Alternatively I’ve seen people do awesome designs with acrylic or watercolour paints on nails, and then you could put a nail varnish top coat over the top. I would patch test those first also though as you never know what you could react to. Another thought is creating designs with things like decals, foils etc with a varnish top coat. I know it’s not the same cathartic process and won’t last as long but it’s something.

 

[Ceri826]

Nail gel allergy is actually kind of rare now... it was a problem in gel early years. One thing to check is the abrasion issue with skin and products.
breaking the skin surface increases the factor chemicals reaching skin layers the upper epidermis should protect
are you talking blisters and irritation at the site of irritation and product or, a real allergic reaction

another consideration is, the manufacturer... different nations allow different chemicals in products and have better or less supervision about the safety of products sold
I'm continually amazed at those purchasing "organic" produce from nations that allow toxic chemicals used in farming and manufacturing
our "whole foods" has been exposed for the sale of produce from farms cited for growing their "organic" produce on the field down wind from the field they are spraying with insecticide, of boxing produce from fields sprayed with insecticide as "organic", our cdc lists but does not stop the importation of products that cause severe reactions due to the presence of irritating or toxic chemicals in clothing, plastic shoes... children's toys
I worked next to manicurists using imported products so irritating to the respiratory system clients would leave the waiting area..

but, if you are actually allergic... it is time to stop using the products.

In earlier days of less skin friendly acrylics and gel, I saw people whose nails had lifted from the nail beds from chemical and allergic reaction
often the nails never grew the same

and I had an "ID" Immune disease several years ago from a sample lotion mailed with some skin products, it continued to spread for a month after I stopped using the lotion
It took months for the itching to stop (complicated by a wrong diagnosis by Kaiser and medication that actually made it worse) and I was warned to go to the ER immediately if I developed a list of serious symptoms including breathing difficult and irregular heart beat

a real allergy, is should be taken seriously
allergies can escalate