I’m allergic to nail products

[zarati]

Yerr

Hi, my name is Zarati. I am 24yrs old & from Bronx NY.

I am currently enrolled in school to be an esthetician as well as lash/nail certified trainings. I have always loved getting my nails done growing up and was popular for having nail art/designs way ahead of the trends, crystals, 3d, letters, decals, airbrush etc from 12yrs old.. Though I loved getting my nails done there always seemed to be a downside.

The product I used every trip was acrylic extensions mainly because it is the most widely used in nail salons. I never seemed to have an issue with the application but I also never properly removed the nails so I would deal with a lot of wear and tear on the natural nail. (There is also a lot of wear and tear on the nail in the prep process depending on the tech as well).

I initially found an interest in actually becoming the tech instead of the customer in the summer of last year when I was finally fed up with my nails ripping, burning & having ridges. So I started to look into press ons! Everything changed from there.

I did so much research on press on nails & being a natural born hustler I automatically fell inlove with the idea of making & manufacturing them. The more I developed that idea the more I started to want to pursue nails/estheuiques as a new career.

Fast forward. I discovered a product called Apres Gel X & started to use myself as a hand model! Though the application was a bit difficult I continued to practice on myself once a month.. Sometimes the tips wouldnt fit & would suffocate my nails so I would find myself having to soak them off & reapply. By the 4th or 5th full set application, I noticed my hands were extremely itchy & started to blister.

I wasn't sure what was up & went to urgent care after I realized my nails were detaching from the nail bed & extremely hard.. I thought it was fungus. The doctor at the Urgent Care assured me that it wasn't fungus, but a reaction. I wasn’t sure if it was the Apres gel x extend gel or the gel polish so I tried both again. The extension & manicure & bitch!! I‘m annoyed. Not only are my nails still not attached to the nail bed. I used acrylic and gel product on a hand dummy tofay with gloves on and my non fully healed hands are itchy again. I’m so sad every time.

So I asked my favorite ig nail tech some advice & she suggested HEMA free gel products. So I started googling & I found this forum which had a few helpful tips & product brands so I’m going try them out.

I almost gave up on my dream today but I have hope because I saw some nail techs had the same issue but perservered.. I hope I too can do the same. I love nails

I want to know is the allergy caused by the chemicals in the gel along with the UV light or is it only the gels that cause the reaction? Also did you have the same symptoms & what products helped you heal? Please help.

 

[AcidPerm]

Once you’ve developed an allergy to the chemicals used in gel and acrylic nails, the allergy is for life.

You need to get tested by a dermatologist to ascertain exactly which chemicals are causing you issues so that you can avoid them. However, it’s likely that you are allergic to some form of methacrylates which are found in virtually all nail enhancement products.

Children under 16 really shouldn’t be exposed to the strong chemicals used in nail products as they’re far more likely to develop life long allergies whilst their bodies are growing and developing.

Speaking as someone who has developed an allergy to nail products, I strongly recommend you consider researching alternative careers and stop using any unnatural products on your skin for a couple of years to give your body a chance to recover. As further research is carried out, there may be less risky products that you can use in the future.

 

[zarati]

I‘m so sad. I read that overexposure can cause it. I'm going look into hema free products and do patch tests because my poor fingers have been irritated 4 times in 4 months, or it’s regular polish and manicures for life lol. Sheesh

Thank you for your response.

 

[BobSweden]

HEMA-free may not be enough. HEMA is a cross sensitizer - this means that once an allergy to HEMA develops, that encourages allergies to other ingredients. This is why those with a HEMA allergy pretty much always have allergies to other ingredients. So if the HEMA-free product contains one or more of these, you will react. That is why hypoallergenic products that don't contain common ingredient allergens are preferred.

But apart from changing products, you need to understand how the allergy occurred - usually only possible with longterm repeated skin contact of under cured or uncured product. If you don't eliminate this, you can eventually react even to hypoallergenic products.

 

[zarati]

HEMA-free may not be enough. HEMA is a cross sensitizer - this means that once an allergy to HEMA develops, that encourages allergies to other ingredients. This is why those with a HEMA allergy pretty much always have allergies to other ingredients. So if the HEMA-free product contains one or more of these, you will react. That is why hypoallergenic products that don't contain common ingredient allergens are preferred.

But apart from changing products, you need to understand how the allergy occurred - usually only possible with longterm repeated skin contact of under cured or uncured product. If you don't eliminate this, you can eventually react even to hypoallergenic products.

this makes so much sense !! definitely had alot of uncured product on my hands while messing with Apres Gel X! so how can I eliminate it ?