How hard to imagine our life without having well-manicured hands. Without a doubt, having manicured nails is a form of self-expression for every woman. Even if you're the type of girl who always has her nails painted, or you prefer a more natural look, polished hands let the world know you're a well-groomed girl.

Well-groomed manicured hands of beautiful form not only highlight the elegance of their owner but give evidence of our status. Nevertheless, how often do we ask ourselves about the risks of nail polish? Not often, better to say very rarely. Sometimes, we don't want to clutter up minds with trivialities, and for this reason, we ignore certain health risks of nail polish. This article will provide you with a very clear and simple description of the nail polish risks.

 The toxicity of many manicure product components capable of seriously damaging your health can cause many health problems when the chemical concentration increases, primarily when the newer nail polish techniques are implemented.

 What are the effects and health risks of nail polish?

Effect on the central nervous system

Sadly, we don’t look carefully at ingredients when choosing nail polish, and this is something worth thinking about. Not many women and, in some cases, also manicurists know about the so-called “toxic trio,” which are considered the most harmful and potentially hazardous elements.

The first one is Toluene, a solvent responsible for keeping your polish smooth, but at the same time, it can negatively affect the central nervous system and cause reproductive harm.

Chemical Burns and throat irritations

Formaldehyde, commonly known as a carcinogen, protects against bacterial growth and also serves to increase a nail polish storage life to make your nail harden. However, it is one of the strongest preservatives that affect possible chemical burns, and in high concentrations, can cause skin rashes and throat irritations.


Endocrine disruption

The third one is dibutyl phthalate (DBP), a chemical respiratory irritant that helps to minimize chipping. Exposure to large doses of dibutyl phthalate can lead to endocrine disorders and, in severe cases, cause congenital disabilities and other reproductive harm, including asthma, convulsions, and even miscarriages.

Dizziness and headache

Besides the toxic trio, some nail polishes contain other noxious cocktails of toxic ingredients, such as camphor, a lab-created neurotoxin. At first glance, this element doesn’t seem so risky as it is mostly used to improve nail appearance and shine. It is indeed less toxic; however, the safety of this ingredient has latterly been called into question. Short-term exposure won’t negatively affect your body, though, in the long term, it can lead to a headache, nausea, and dizziness.

Skin irritation and allergic reactions

In reality, the list of harmful elements is much longer, but it is crucial to consider other factors.

Adverse effect on the lungs

It goes without saying that proper ventilation should prevent condensed chemicals from escaping into the air. But unfortunately, that's not always the case. Many salons that offer manicure and pedicure services frequently ignore proper ventilation rules, which allow all toxic chemicals to circulate all over beauty salons leading to the high exposure of toxic substances in the air.

Damaged nail bed

After removing nail polish, you can notice having a damaged nail bed. Don’t be surprised by it. If you tend to paint your nails regularly, then the chances your nails will be weaker are very high.

If you are coloring your nails too often, they will start to dry up and turn yellow, which is usually the cause of UV light when applying the gel. It is recommended you use lighter color nail polish and change at least once a week, and after that, give a break of a week to 10 days to the nails.

Scientists have conducted research discovering real risks of nail polish. Twenty-four women were asked to paint their nails. After 6 hours, most of the participants displayed an elevated level of DBP (which we have mentioned earlier), a derivative of triphenyl phosphate formed in metabolism.

Ten hours after the beginning of the experiment, the levels of DBP in the bodies increased to seven times above the norm. Please, don't jump to conclusions! Think rationally. This experiment simply demonstrates that most of the population isn’t aware of harmful chemicals used in nail products.

Even though the rising awareness of toxic elements in many care products has pressured manufacturers to develop healthier alternatives, we still can see them on store shelves worldwide.

We recommend using nail products free of at least the top five or three harmful components. You need to be mindful and consider all the products you use regularly.

We hope you understand the health risks of nail polish after reading this article. Having all the above information in mind, we are sure you will take better care of your nails when choosing a nail salon or going to a beauty store. Always remember, your health is in your hands!