Pregnancy and nail enhancements

SalonGeek

Help Support SalonGeek:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

missgelfling

Active Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2007
Messages
41
Reaction score
0
Location
Leeds
I was reading on a pregnancy website that nail enhancements should be avoided when you are pregnant, although there is no scientific evidence that it harms the baby, it should be avoided.
Now my husband is getting worried about me doing nail enhancements and damaging our unborn baby! I have ventilation in my nail station and the room I do nails is in well ventilated too. I use a metal bin with lid and always cover my monomer when I'm not using it. Is there anything else I should be doing - my room never smells of monomer when I'm finished, or atleast, I can't smell it and my senses are much stronger now I'm pregnant.
But if I have a pregnant client what do you advise them? Is it safe to continue having nail enhancements and rebalances? When I did my nail course there was nothing mentioned about nails and pregnancy.
Thanks!
xx
 
I am only telling you this as someone who had enhancements when I was pregnant.... not as a professional.

When I wanted enhancements last year when I was pregnant I was told by 3 nail salons I couldn't have the L&P acrylic enhancements because of the odour. I said the smell didn't bother me ( I can never smell it anyway ) but they all still refused. They said I would have to have gel enhancements but none of them offered it ( gap in the market there! ). I eventually had them done by a mobile technician who also refused to do L&P but did offer me gel enhancements.

I was actually quite surprised by how they all refused...even when I begged lol.... could it be down to their insurance????

I am interested to know the answer to this myself.

Congratulations on your pregnancy xxx
 
I have just read the thread you posted Izzi...

I wish I had known that when I was traipsing round nail salons and being refused :irked:

This was only last year too... you would have thought they would have known this!!! Were they being overly keen do you think or maybe just uneducated in this area? This was 3 salons....all saying the same thing! They obviously weren't members of Salon Geek :lol:
 
Hi girls, thanks for your replies - Isabel, I have read the articles you mentioned and they were all really interesting.
When I first went to see the midwife, she gave me a huge list of dos and don'ts, its quite frightening when someone tells you that you aren't allowed to have peanut butter for example incase you miscarry and then researching the internet and websites saying that nail enhancements and false tan is a no no!!!!
I'm glad I have some info to tell hubbie and also any pregnant clients I may get.
I love doing nails and couldn't bear the though of having to give up over alittle monomer!!!! So thanks again!! (Not sure my husband will thank you though, he hates the smell with a passion!!!!)
xx
 
Im 7.5 months along with baby number 2 and though I do gels on myself and hope to be working again soon a mask is always recommended. Long exposure to anything can make you sensitve to it and especially breathing in dust, pregnant or not. I would just explain to clients that they are fine as they are only comming in once in awhile but as a technician you are there doing multiple sets every day and are exposed a lot more and therefore a mask helps you to not become sensitve. My doctor never said I couldnt have enhancements and my nail suppler just recommended a mask and LCN gel.
 
Im 7.5 months along with baby number 2 and though I do gels on myself and hope to be working again soon a mask is always recommended. Long exposure to anything can make you sensitve to it and especially breathing in dust, pregnant or not. I would just explain to clients that they are fine as they are only comming in once in awhile but as a technician you are there doing multiple sets every day and are exposed a lot more and therefore a mask helps you to not become sensitve. My doctor never said I couldnt have enhancements and my nail suppler just recommended a mask and LCN gel.

A mask is recomended to protect from dust (pregnant tech or not) and liquid and powder enhancements are perfectly safe,please see above links as a doctor is unlikely to have any knowledge in regards to monomer and polymer whatsoever,let alone know what vapours they create hth's
 
i use creative l&p and brisa gel....and was told these are quite safe to use during pregnancy for both client and technician.

following is the information given to us:
im sorry if it has already been given, but it took me awhile to type it all out for you :)


Pregnancy And The Salon

What About My Clients?
When your clients discover they're pregnant, one of the first question they will ask you is "can i keep wearing my nail enhancements during my pregnancy?"

The answer is yes; of course they can safely wear artifical nails! There is absolutely no reason to believe that wearing any type of nail enhancement is harmful during pregnancy. The product polymerizes (hardens) within 3 minutes, practically eliminating the chance that any of the product will penetrate beyound the topmost layers of the nail plate. Also, the levels of exposure to salon chemicals while receiving nail services is minuscule and will create no risks to the pregnant client.

Working While Pregnant:
Nail technicians have significantly higher levels of exposure due to their professional tools - the products used to create nail enhancements, it makes sense, they use them every day. Does this mean that if a nail technician becomes pregnant, she will have to quit the salan? Of course not, but if she isn't working safely, she may have to make some changes in her work habits and routines.

No matter what your occupation, when you become pregnant you should follow the advice of your doctor. An informed physician will usually advise mothers to be to avoid alcohol and tobacco. Thats becaue studies have shown that these substances may cause abnormal fetal development. Fortunately, scientific studies indicate that the ingredients used to create nail enhancement are not harmful to expectant mothers. To put things in their proper perspecive; smoking is thousands of times more dangerous during pregnancy than anything the nail technician will be exposed to in the salon.

The key to working safely is to lower your exposure to your professional products. You'll find that this is easier than you might imagine. If you tr, you will be amazed a how many things you can find to improve your job safety. Here's a list of suggestion to get you started on the road to working safter:

Throw all your trash into metal containers with self closing lids.
Empty the trash often, especially if it contains table towels and wipes.
Follow product direction precisely and use products properly.
Avoid touching monomer, UV gel, wrap resins, adhesives or primers to skin.
Wash your hands often, between every cients and before eating.
Keep product lids tightly closed and dappen dishes covered.
Take frequent breaks to stretch or exercise and get some fresh air.
Wear a well fitted disposable dust mask when filing, especially if you use a dril or electric file.

Pregnancy And The Salon

Make sure the ventilation in your room is properly working and adequately supplying the salon with fresh air.
Use local exhause to capture and eliminate dust and vapor at the source.
Talk to your doctor if you feel you are experiencing any work related symptoms such as weakness or light headedness.
Ask your doctor to review the MSDS for the products you use.

Of course, there are many other things you can do to improve salon safely. thee positive changes in your work habits will benfit you for the rest of your career. One good way to improve safety is to learn more about your products. If you take the time to learn more, you'll better understand how to work safely.
 
Just as an FYI, the only reason that you advise someone not to have a spray tan when they are pregnant is because in the first trimester your hormones are raging and it could cause the tan to go patchy ... this is aslo true if someone has their period. I have done spray tans on ladies in their first trimester with no problems at all - just advised that patchiness is a risk and they have to choose if they want to take that risk.
 
You have all the 'official' info here, just as an add on (which I'm sure there's loads of us) I worked right up until a week before I had my 2nd baby. She's now 2 and neither I or my baby had any problems either throughout pregnancy or since! Good luck with the pregnancy, congratulations!
 

Latest posts

Back
Top