NancySyd
Well-Known Member
I really have very strong reservations about this. Personally, I question why we have to inculcate young girls into all this "beauty" stuff so young. But it is our profession and we think it is a good thing and they are surrounded by it. When I consulted my sister who is a pediatrician about this, she was horrified by the idea of doing this on a child under 12. Her advice was that children under 12 should not get enhancements or gel/power polishes. Her point was that these monomers and polymers have a high potential for allergic reactions (yes even Shellac) and that the more one uses it, the more likely an allergic reaction becomes. A child's immune system is not the same, not as developed, as an adult's and an allergic reaction is even more likely. And that allergy is for life. Also, she felt that although we know that exposure over the course of a few years is probably safe, with children starting that young, the potential for 30-40 years of exposure is real. Hopefully we're not talking about a 7 year old starting a life-long every-two-week gel polish habit but we just don't yet know the consequences of such long-term use. She really didn't like the idea of soaking in acetone for a child. Also, because children often have their fingers in their mouths, there was additional exposure through ingestion. Finally, she also felt that most children could not be depended on to do the aftercare reliably and that damage could result from that.
Moreover, she felt that like all professionals, we must make the decision and not just rely on parental permission. While a parent may know his/her child, we know the products. Not all parents are good parents - It takes more training to be a nail tech than to be a parent! In addition, there are significant liability issues at stake here and you need to be in compliance with what your insurer allows.
Her advice was that regular nail polish should be used on children under 12. Now, that doesn't represent the opinion of all pediatricians, nor does it answer the question of what to do as a tech when a parent thinks it's okay. But it is food for thought for professionals.
Moreover, she felt that like all professionals, we must make the decision and not just rely on parental permission. While a parent may know his/her child, we know the products. Not all parents are good parents - It takes more training to be a nail tech than to be a parent! In addition, there are significant liability issues at stake here and you need to be in compliance with what your insurer allows.
Her advice was that regular nail polish should be used on children under 12. Now, that doesn't represent the opinion of all pediatricians, nor does it answer the question of what to do as a tech when a parent thinks it's okay. But it is food for thought for professionals.
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