Lately my fingers have been peeling ALOT. Ive been getting acrylics for years so don't think im allergic but it seems to get worse when ive just finished my nails. Its mainly on my right hand (im right handed). Has this happened to anyone, if it is due to me doing nails whats the best way to deal with it? i should go doctors and i will but just don't want to hear i need to stop doing nails
Peeling fingers
- Thread starter Tannie
- Start date
Help Support SalonGeek:
SunnyBunnyNT
New Member
Unfortunately, it might be a form of contact dermatitis, which I recently developed about 8 months of doing acrylics. Much like a latex sensitivity it can be immediate or take YEARS to develop. Your case sounds relatively mild at this point, but the more often you expose yourself, the more severe the reaction may become. I have cracks in my skin so deep that my fingers bleed and my fingers are so painful that without gloves, I can't use my finger tips. I am kicking myself for not wearing gloves bc I should have known better as a nurse. However, I am also angry at my school for not encouraging the use of gloves more readily. Thicker nitrile gloves should suffice if you are not sloppy with your application (as a clueless student, I was not as careful as I should have been). Be aware that alcohol and acetone will make most nitrile gloves useless. I did some research and found that neoprene gloves should be effective against all three but are WAY more expensive, as in at least $18 for 50 pair and much harder to find. Theoretically, once the acrylic has cured and the client has thoroughly washed their hands, you should be ok to proceed with polish, gel polish, etc so you could possibly get away with nitrile gloves as long as you don't touch acetone or alcohol during acrylic application. Unfortunately, once sensitized, even the slightest exposure could result in a severe reaction. Moving forward, I am going to let my hands completely heal before decontaminating my entire collection of supplies, and then keeping the acrylic supplies completely separate and wearing the neoprene gloves from start to finish and decontaminating my supplies again at the end. If you reaction is limited to some superficial peeling, without hindering you activities and your skin is not open or bleeding, you are probably ok with not going to the doctor at this point but you should immediately start wearing at least nitrile gloves. Avoid latex, because that is another irritate with a high chance of reactivity in you or your clients.
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2011
- Messages
- 10,907
- Reaction score
- 6,919
Sounds like an allergic reaction so you need to start wearing gloves to see if that helps.
Many allergic reactions occur some time after regular exposure to an irritant so it’s not uncommon to become sensitive to something you’ve been using for a while.
My reaction became so severe that I had to give up doing nails and I can only wear basic polish now, so you need to be careful and wear the gloves all the time that you’re doing nail work.
Many allergic reactions occur some time after regular exposure to an irritant so it’s not uncommon to become sensitive to something you’ve been using for a while.
My reaction became so severe that I had to give up doing nails and I can only wear basic polish now, so you need to be careful and wear the gloves all the time that you’re doing nail work.
Thank you for your replies i just brought gloves this week. Although i keep forgetting to put them on lol.. old habits are hard to break but will definitely make sure im wearing them. Being newly qualified and working on myself does mean when using my non dominate hand application is a sloppy so imma start being more careful. Hopefully it doesn't get much worse.
Lizzy Jane
New Member
Glad I’ve seen this thread as I’m just about to begin my training in nails & want to do acrylics. I didn’t realise reactions could be this severe. Thanks for the info
Alison Pilkington-Child
Well-Known Member
These replies have been really helpful. I have gloves and don’t always remember to wear them... but I will now!
One little thing about gloves. Tattooists always wear black. I asked mine why and he said it was because when you are doing close work, judging colour and shade etc, they are less distracting and easier on the eye than light coloured gloves.
One little thing about gloves. Tattooists always wear black. I asked mine why and he said it was because when you are doing close work, judging colour and shade etc, they are less distracting and easier on the eye than light coloured gloves.
