Conquering gel allergies?

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Has anyone managed to overcome their allergy to gel products, completely? I know the allergy will never go away, but have you found a way to keep doing nails?
I use Amore Ultima (not my favorite brand but it's supposed to be hypoallergenic) and use thick latex gloves and am STILL reacting. Is it possible that the gel is going through my gloves? Will nitrile work better? I use latex because the file doesn't break them open.
Have you had better results with CND? It claims to be 3-Free.
I'm desperate to find something because I'm starting to lose my joy in my job :(

Thanks in advance for your help!
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Ouch x

That is quite a sever allergy that you have :(

I'm not surprised that your loosing the joy in your work, that looks so sore!

Nitrile gloves will offer you the most protection, but I've also found that no matter how hard you try a little bit of product can still get into them.

You could also try barrier cream, with cotton gloves over them , then nitrile gloves, it would feel a little bulky , but it might be worth a shot for you :)

Do you know what ingredient in the gel is the culprit ? Are you allergic to acrylates for instance?
 
No I don't know exactly what I'm allergic to. But chances are it's the acrylates. I reacted to acrylic nails as well.
I just read something about the barrier cream, I'll give that a go. But as for the cotton gloves, I don't think I could work like that.
The allergy doesn't look so bad of I diligently don't scratch, but sometimes I forget.
 
You won’t be able to get nitrile gloves on without cotton gloves if you have barrier cream on your hands. They’d just stick like crazy and your fingers wouldn’t go in.

Have you tried CND Brisa Gel? It has a urethane methacrylate base instead of an acrylate base and a lot of people with allergies get on well with it.

I’d still advise caution as obviously you could be allergic to anything . Maybe apply a tiny bit to a nail and see how to get on?
 
Oh you poor thing! That looks so horrendously sore!
I too became allergic to many many acrylates. My GP referred me to a dermatologist who tested 160 products on my back. I knew straight away where the products were that I was sensitive to.
I was prescribed a different steroid cream by the dermatologist that a GP can’t prescribe and I wrapped my fingers with the steroid cream under the dressings and then ordered the thickest nitrile gloves I could find. I use The glove store and the thickest nitrile ones I found are GN83 (look on their website and then search it on there). Use a clean pair for EVERY client as product can seep it’s way through eventually.
I hope this helps. I really feel for you as I cried so much with the pain I felt when I was going through it so I know what you’re going through.
Big hugs to you xx
 
Oh I meant to add that I now use The Gel Bottle products and they’re no where near as bad as Gelish (the product I was using at the time). X
 
Well thanks for the info on that Gel Bottle polish. I went and bought 8 mil nitrile gloves. They're called grease monkey. Used mostly on the oilfield.
I didn't realize there was something that the dermatologist could recommend as opposed to the GP. And I will be testing CND Nrisa on my skin, hopefully I don't react. But if I do I'll just keep using gloves. I was using latex not realizing they're weren't a perfect barrier.
 
Because of the fingers that appear to be most effected, my first thought is that over exposure must certainly be coming from where/how you hold your brush if you are doing acrylics / hard gel? maybe? something to consider perhaps to avoid as much exposure as possible :)
 
The gel I'm using is really stringy and messy and gets everywhere. I'm trying to use it up before I switch to something else.
 
I have an allergy like you!

I have tried so many different gel polished and had a reaction to acrylic! It’s a massive pain in this job!

I react like this whilst using shellac however I can wear it! The lady that trained me in shellac said that it’s over exposure.

Stop doing nails (almost impossible I know) until you are completely healed. I use gloves tattoo artists use and seems to be ok.

It’s such a horrid itchy pain isn’t it?

X
 
It really is terrible. I'm healed now because I didn't have any clients for a week. I'm using thick nitrile gloves called grease monkey. They're used by mechanics. So far so good. Are those tattoo gloves nitrile or latex? Cuz the latex won't keep it out.

The reason you can wear shellac is because it can be put on without it touching your skin. When you do a new set of gel nails it touches the hyponichium if your nails are short like mine. Not to mention the dust goes everywhere.

Kirsti, do you find your nails start to grow funny? I read that it's because the allergic reaction damages the matrix. Mine are finally growing out now that I'm done reacting.

Thanks everyone for your replies!! Knowing that the latex gloves were my downfall was a huge life saver.
 
The reason you can wear shellac is because it can be put on without it touching your skin. When you do a new set of gel nails it touches the hyponichium if your nails are short like mine. Not to mention the dust goes everywhere.

You should never allow uncured gel/acrylic product to touch any part of the skin.
 
You should never allow uncured gel/acrylic product to touch any part of the skin.

I know
But no one is perfect and forms don't always fit perfectly. Plus it's even harder to be that careful when you do it on yourself.
 
One of the major reasons for developing an allergy to gel or gel polish, is the use of an incorrect UV lamp - which means the gel dust is not fully cured. Apart from using a UV or LED-UV lamp that generates UV with the correct light wavelength for the gels you use, the lamp lust also produce the light with the correct brightness (scientific term is UV Illuminance). Unfortunately, and despite rumours among many NT in our industry, it is not possible to know if a gel or gel polish is correctly cured without using scientific testing equipment. Gels are hard enough to file when only 50% to 55% cured - so simply test curing a tip in a UV lamp is not a reliable method.
 
Hi there,
I've had quiet a severe reaction to over exposure to Jessica Geleration. My boss has kindly said we can get another gel brand to use along side it as she is mortified I've reacted. I have used shellac in the past but she doesn't really want to have this. Does anyone know of any hypoallergenic gel polish brands??
I've ordered nitral gloves and some Dermasheild product to see it that helps.
I love doing nails but my hands hurt so bad
 
Please bear in mind that hypoallergenic is a marketing term and has no basis in scientific fact. There is no established test to determine if a product is hypoallergenic or not, and as this would require longterm (up to 20 year) side by side product trials, it's never likely to happen.

It is possible to become allergic to hypoallergenic products - however, if the company has formulated the product using lower allergy risk ingredients , then the risk will be lower. But not as low as actually following the manufacturers instructions - avoid skin contact and ensure adequate ventilation.

The first step is always to visit a dermatologist and get a patch test done. In today's NHS, that may require a fair bit of foot stamping to get the GP's referral. This will determine which ingredient(s) make you sensitive.

Armed with this info, you can look for products that don't contain these ingredients. But unless the NT starts to work safely - double gloving, use of correct UV lamp, correct mix ratio for L&P, and has invested in a professional dust / chemical air filter (price between £700 to £1200), then new allergies will develop. If using L&P, take steps to reduce vapours by using a cover on the dapper dish, air tight rubbish bin that is regularly emptied, etc.

If you can't afford a pro air filter, use dust masks from B&Q with the EN 149 rating.

Table top dust filters, from those we have tried or looked at, are a false economy - they may reduce visible dust, but the replacement filters are generally ineffective at significantly reducing invisible dust which will float in the air like pollution, getting worse with each client until you thoroughly ventilate the room (open all doors/windows to have stiff breeze through). It's the invisible dust that can be inhaled deep into the lungs to cause CPOD or asthma. The chemical filters on these are also useless - the minimum requirement stated by the Nail Manufacturers Association in the USA, is 1kg of active carbon (like BBQ charcoal), that is 1" deep. You can't fit this in a table top or table installed filter, it has to be floor standing. There is a reason why many dust filters never state how much dust and vapours they remove.... :-(. So if you decide to purchase an air filter for your salon - the main questions are:

1. What is the weight and depth of the active carbon filter?
2. What percentage of dust and chemical vapours will it remove? Has this been independently tested?

As an additional layer of protection, you can use a barrier cream on your hands, arms and exposed skin areas. This is not a replacement to nitrile gloves which should always be worn. We use, and a number of well known international Educators use, "Gloves in a Bottle" that can be bought cheaply in Superdrug. A little drop goes a long way and it is not tacky. It's also super for dry patches on elbows and also allows cooking smells/stains (i.e. curry, garlic) and dirt to wash right off. In the nail salon setting this should be reapplied every 4 hours due to the repeated hand washing, not the 8 hours recommended on the bottle.

And please - don't blame the products. Allergies in our industry are caused be poor education and folks ignoring advice. The products are harmless if used as directed - unless you are intentionally/unintentionally buying Chinese product that uses high risk ingredients (and yes, there are some shockers out there - buyer beware). So only buy from a reputable company that clearly has enough advanced knowledge to offer products that are safe.
 
Hi there,
I've had quiet a severe reaction to over exposure to Jessica Geleration. My boss has kindly said we can get another gel brand to use along side it as she is mortified I've reacted. I have used shellac in the past but she doesn't really want to have this. Does anyone know of any hypoallergenic gel polish brands??
I've ordered nitral gloves and some Dermasheild product to see it that helps.
I love doing nails but my hands hurt so bad
I think opi is one and ink London. Google and find out hun x
 
No I don't know exactly what I'm allergic to. But chances are it's the acrylates. I reacted to acrylic nails as well.
I just read something about the barrier cream, I'll give that a go. But as for the cotton gloves, I don't think I could work like that.
The allergy doesn't look so bad of I diligently don't scratch, but sometimes I forget.
Hi I have used cnd brisa gel without any issues. I recently switched to Young nails, I really like the products, but I have an allergy to it so I am switching back to Cnd Brisa gel. I hope this helps
 
It really is terrible. I'm healed now because I didn't have any clients for a week. I'm using thick nitrile gloves called grease monkey. They're used by mechanics. So far so good. Are those tattoo gloves nitrile or latex? Cuz the latex won't keep it out.

The reason you can wear shellac is because it can be put on without it touching your skin. When you do a new set of gel nails it touches the hyponichium if your nails are short like mine. Not to mention the dust goes everywhere.

Kirsti, do you find your nails start to grow funny? I read that it's because the allergic reaction damages the matrix. Mine are finally growing out now that I'm done reacting.

Thanks everyone for your replies!! Knowing that the latex gloves were my downfall was a huge life saver.

Hi Alysha, tattoo artists use standard nitrile gloves in black. I once asked mine why tattooists always wear black gloves and his answer was fascinating. For doing artwork and fine detail black gloves allow they eye to focus better on the work and reduce eye strain. According to him the black gloves were originally produced for brain surgeons, no idea if that part’s true but I fully get the eye care bit.
 
I started developing a rash six months into being a nail tech.. Nitrile gloves and avoiding touching alcohol and acetone really helped.. I was also prescribed a cortizole cream that I put on my finger under dressing. It really helped. I also found out that everytime I skip gloves for some reason, it comes back immediately. Also, I found out that nail files really put a strain on my fingers, as it felt like a chainsaw opening my wounds.
 

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