Allergic reaction to Shellac?

[nubee]

Hi... i've just recently trained in shellac after using Gelish for several years without a problem! now, after using Shellac a few times, i have taken a reaction on my thumb. It's extremely itchy and slightly swollen. The top of my thumb has dried out and has split in two places... the doctor said it was contact dermatitis due to the Shellac! I am gutted! i just spent the guts of £1000 to train & buy products... Has anyone else experienced this? i will have to wear gloves now which i find very awkward!!!

One very sad & dissapointed therapist with an itchy thumb :sad::sad::sad:

 

[geeg]

Seems highly unlikely, but I suppose not impossible, simply because Shellac is a hypoallergenic product AND it is only happening on your thumb?

Your doctor really cannot know all the chemicals you may have been in contact with your skin in that area can he?

Have a really good think as to what may have been in contact with your skin in that particular area. If you are not getting Shellac on your skin repeatedly then think about what is coming into contact with your skin. I think you would see a reaction on many of your fingers if you were allergic to Shellac.

 

[StephR]

I have to agree with Geeg. I had the same thing on one of my thumbs a year or so ago. Scared the life out of me thinking it was the Shellac. Turns out it was either the Scrub Fresh or D Sperse. It was coming into contact with my thumb because of the pads/wipes I was using. I smothered that thumb in creams etc, switched to a different make of pads and used my other hand whilst it was healing. I've had no problems since.

Steph xx

 

[Laurasnowwhite]

I get a patch on my thumb that goes super dry and itchy, it's because I get acetone/IPA/scrubfresh on it and don't always solar oil as well as I should on my thumb (naughty I know!) it's the angle my thumb is at when I'm holding my clients hands while doing a set of shellac, and because it's over and over everyday and I'm not applying solar oil to my hands between every client after washing them, this one area just gets a bit dryer than others.

Try OD-ing on solar oil & hand cream on this patch and see if it makes a difference.

HTH

 

[EmmaLF]

My right thumb gets like that sometimes, I realised it was because when someone had short nails I would swipe my thumb underneath their nail to remove top coat or polish from their finger, then I'd forget to wipe it off (obviously only topcoat as I'd see the colour and wipe it off) and it must have irritated my skin because I don't see how it would cure on my skin without UV light (correct me if I'm wrong because honestly I don't know).

 

[helencowleard]

I have eczema/dermatitis on my hands sometimes & touching Nourishing remover/acetone & scrubfresh makes my hands bad so I just wear gloves for the intial part of the process. As long as you get gloves that fit its not that bad x

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[mariehouse]

Yeah I'm the same I got really bad contact dermatitis from using preparation and removal products for gelish and shellac - it flares up - it's gets better - I wear gloves sometimes it helps sometimes it doesn't - can be ridiculously sore and bleed too I feel your pain :-(

 

[nubee]

Thanks for your replies everyone... i have noticed that i also use my thumb nail to 'tidy up' after my polish... mmm ... will give this all some thought.. have been putting cream and solar oil on constant to try & heal it but it's difficult because i'm putting pressure on it so much that it keeps splitting...

i will invest in some plastic backed cotton pads & see if that helps... thanks again for your help everyone.

xxx

 

[char1112]

There's a type of plaster thing that's a bit netted that is to keep your skin together but still let it breathe and heal on it's own, I can't remember for the life of me what it's called but I had it on before when I'd lost a toenail and certain shoes I wore would open a slight cut I had, I found it in the chemist after my doctor recommended it, I might help with the healing xx

 

[mariehouse]

My doctor gave me some steriod cream xx

 

[Bel's Gels]

if its just on your thumb and you don't want to wear gloves, buy some finger cots and just use one on your thumb.

Good luck in finding the source of the reaction, it can be horrible, I know.

 

[Nail Perfection]

I had this when I started using shellac. I solved it by not holding the bottle in my hand while painting the clients nails. I was accidentally getting shellac on my skin. I am now used to keeping the bottle on my table. Hope this helps.

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[nubee]

Hi... just a wee update... my hands are now in bits... have to take an anti-histamine tablet, a steroid cream and a waterproof moisturiser... i use several plasters on fingers/hand and wear gloves when working... all in all not a good look

I'm really gutted that this has happened after i invested so much... why didn't i just stay with Gelish.. sob sob...

Though, determined to overcome if anyone has any further ideas please!!!!

I love Shellac... it will not beat me!!!!! lol

 

[SueC]

There's a type of plaster thing that's a bit netted that is to keep your skin together but still let it breathe and heal on it's own, I can't remember for the life of me what it's called but I had it on before when I'd lost a toenail and certain shoes I wore would open a slight cut I had, I found it in the chemist after my doctor recommended it, I might help with the healing xx

I think it might be called micropore surgical tape.

Hi... just a wee update... my hands are now in bits... have to take an anti-histamine tablet, a steroid cream and a waterproof moisturiser... i use several plasters on fingers/hand and wear gloves when working... all in all not a good look

I'm really gutted that this has happened after i invested so much... why didn't i just stay with Gelish.. sob sob...

Though, determined to overcome if anyone has any further ideas please!!!!

I love Shellac... it will not beat me!!!!! lol

Your hands sound very sore, I hope they get better soon. Have you tried nitrile gloves? If not, they might be less aggravating than latex ones (sorry if I'm stating the obvious) xx

 

[Pooh8bear]

Thanks for your replies everyone... i have noticed that i also use my thumb nail to 'tidy up' after my polish... mmm ... will give this all some thought.. have been putting cream and solar oil on constant to try & heal it but it's difficult because i'm putting pressure on it so much that it keeps splitting...

i will invest in some plastic backed cotton pads & see if that helps... thanks again for your help everyone.

xxx

use a cocktail stick to tidy up instead of your finger.x

 

[IHeartLashes]

I'm also allergic to Shellac. If I use gelish or just gel I'm ok but for some reason shellac makes my eczema flair. It's been that long since I put shellac on that I forgot and put fedora on last week and later that day my fingers became insanely itchy to the point where they doubled in size and the ends of my fingers turned purple (that's never happened before). Needless to say I realised it was the shellac so removed it immediately and they stopped itching and calmed down. I've just invested in ilac so hoping I can wear it. I put some on this morning and so far so good.

 

[LadyGray]

ouch that looks so sore you poor thing!

 

[IHeartLashes]

ouch that looks so sore you poor thing!

It is :-( I've got yet another new cream from the doctor but thankfully it seems to be working xx

 

[lisa pink]

I know exactly how you feel ive been hairdressing for over 30 years and nails for just 2 finished my acrylic training in feb just got the hang of it when 4 weeks ago my hands got sore itchy and peeled at end of my fingers.went to dr today as someone said they can do an allergy test, was given hydrocortisone cream told they dont test on nhs I would have to go private gutted luv doing nails thinking of doing hard gel to see if thats ok. Thinking it may be scrubfresh now as I used it on Saturday and its flared again

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