I think I'm allergic to gels! Servere reaction but I'm not sure if it was the gels!

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laurakate

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Help!

Here's what happened to me:
*I was at college doing gels last week. I woke up the day after with a rash on half of my face. The rash got better throughout the week.
*A week later, I go back to college (which was yesterday) to do more gels and at 6pm my face is itching. by 10pm it is burning and by 3am I had to phone the emergency services because it was burning and itching and numb to a really severe extent. I was taken to A and E in the ambulance and given medicine there where I was monitored for an hour whilst the medicine kicked in.

I am worried that the gels are causing this problem because the timeframe in which I used the gels seems to correlate with the timeframe in which I used the gels.

Think is though, I have some gels on my hand and with the exception of the eczema I get on my hand (although it is worse than normal) there doesn't seem to be the same severity of reaction on my hand than my face.

What I'm saying is, surely if I was allergic to the products I use when doing gel nails, it would be my hands that were reacting rather than my face.

As per the advice of my tutor, next week at college i am going to return with a short haircut and wear rubber gloves to do the treatment....all as a means of reducing the chance of product coming into contact with my face (if this is what has been happening...i'm not sure to be honest)

Does it sound like this could be the gels that I am allergic to or is there a chance that this is just an unlucky coincidence and the severe skin reaction is (hopefully!!!) a reaction to something that could be anything other than any nail products.

When doing nvq2 beauty treatments, I never have this problem...I use the products on myself with no trouble at all.

I am doing an nvq3 in nails because I would love to do this as a long term career but now I have an awful sinking feeling that my skin just won't allow me to persue this path. Does it sound like this could be the case?

I guess my alternative would be to consider massage (but I have back problems...scholiosis) or the general nvq3 beauty route (but I'm scared of needles)....bear in mind that I'd like to be level three at something in order that I can apply for more jobs in the beauty industry.

I'm now scratching my wrists in between typing...argh!!!

This career plan of mine is supposed to be my golden ticket into a nicer working life where i turn up to work excited about what I do...I would be depressed beyond explanation is my skin were to, in affect, take this dream away from me

Help! Does it sound like I'm allergic to the gels? (or perhaps other products used in this same treatment?!) Am I doomed or could I still do nails minus gels? (I prefer applying gels more than LandP but would be willing to focus more on LandP....or would employers not really be interested in me as someone who can't/won't do both.....argh!!! that's if it even is the gels that are doing this!!!!)

HELP!!!!!
 
Don't think the gloves will matter much.

For what its worth, it sounds to me like you are either not removing all of the inhibition layer (easy enough to do) and that you are itching/rubbing your face throughout the day. Or the dust from filing undercured gels is getting onto your face.

Irritation is localised. You won't inflame where the undercured product (dust/inhibition layer) isn't landing/being brought to.

You could also try another gel. Many gels contain Formaldehyde and Glutaraldehyde which are very strong sensitisers. Find a gel that doesn't contain those products if you are using them now. L&P is generally less likely to cause an allergic reaction than a gel, but it isn't a universal law :)

Hope that helps!
 
From experience I would firstly go back to the doctor and have a chat with him/her, they will probably be able to put your mind at rest and tell you what will/won't help at the moment. Also have they referred you for allergy testing? It's very simple, controlled and reassuring, and you will find out for definite if there is any problem.

I think Shellac is one of the least reactive things on the market (I could be wrong?) and is getting to be even more popular than enhancements in my area, which is always an option, hopefully someone will be able to correct me if I'm wrong!

But get back to the doc's for some professional advice (on your health, that is). X
 
From experience I would firstly go back to the doctor and have a chat with him/her, they will probably be able to put your mind at rest and tell you what will/won't help at the moment. Also have they referred you for allergy testing? It's very simple, controlled and reassuring, and you will find out for definite if there is any problem.

I think Shellac is one of the least reactive things on the market (I could be wrong?) and is getting to be even more popular than enhancements in my area, which is always an option, hopefully someone will be able to correct me if I'm wrong!

But get back to the doc's for some professional advice (on your health, that is). X
You are not wrong. All CND gels are hypoallergenic and free of the most common sensitisers in most all other gels.

Shellac is also hypoallergenic and free of Formaldehyde, Toluene and DBP as well as the Gluteraldehyde and, so putting it right up there at the top of the list of products least likely to cause allergy problems.

CND monomers are also less reactive than many other monomers and so well worth a try if you are sensitive to other monomers as well.

CND always think of safety first when they develop all of their products which is one of the reasons they develop their own and do not buy from other sources.
 
thanks guys, i really appreciate this info :)

i went to the walk in centre at 1am last night as the rash had spread to my hands and fast too.

i was in tears asking the doctor is my nail tech career dreams were over but he said that:

*yes its probably the gels
*being on antihistamines will help in the mean time
*i should go for allergy testing

So if an allergy test gives me a difinitive answer of what is causing this, hopefully my dream won't be over because I can look for other products to use (we're training with NSI at college at the moment....I love what the products do just not the affect they seem to be having on me)

So I'm nervous as heck that my skin is stopping me getting where I want to be but relieved that thereis still hope. Thanks guys coz I didn't know there were brands out there that made nail products that were more skin friendly than others!
 

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