Why You Should Avoid Artificial Nail Products at All Costs:

A blog around the dangers of artificial nails and other nail products and why they are not recommended.

I’m a nail technician, in a very organic salon environment, with an organic clientele that has a love for all things natural. I am asked almost daily what I think about acrylics, gels and other types of artificial nails. As a professional who has been doing nails for over 30 years, my answer is always the same: “They should be avoided at all costs.”

First and foremost, there is absolutely no way to use acrylic or gel products without inhaling some of the fumes from the monomer (liquid) or polymer (powder). These fumes contain potent chemicals such as ethyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate and butyl methacrylate. The chemical ethyl methacrylate is known to cause cancer in rats. The vapors irritate the eyes, throat and lungs, causing watery eyes, coughing and wheezing. If you have asthma or lung disease these vapors can exacerbate your condition. If you get acrylics or gels applied on a regular basis, you may be exposing yourself unnecessarily to these toxic chemicals

Why You Should Avoid Artificial Nail Products at All Costs

Ever thought about getting a manicure, but worried about the damage that all those chemicals can do to your nails? Perhaps you have a wedding coming up or another special event. Maybe you are simply bored and want something different than your old nail polish.

Whatever the case may be, artificial nails are not worth damaging your natural nails!

Artificial Nails: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Let’s start off with the good. Artificial nails are just that, “artificial” which means fake. If you have short nails and always wanted long ones, or if you have brittle nails and don’t want anyone to know, an artificial nail is a great option for you! They come in many different colors, textures, styles and lengths. You can get them done right in the comfort of your own home (with practice of course), or by a professional at a salon. Overall they look great on everyone!

Now let’s get into the bad. Artificial nails can ruin your real nails! After getting acrylics applied there is no way to hide ugly looking natural nails underneath because they are covered by acrylic. In order to take the acrylic off you must get them soaked off which is very

You may have heard from a friend or news headline that using artificial nail products like acrylic nails, gels, glue-ons and wraps is bad for your nail health. Or maybe you have been told by a manicurist that if you use these products often enough, you will become dependent on them in order to have nice nails. Or maybe you were told that removing gel nails or acrylics can damage your nail beds.

All of this is true. But why? You probably know that these products are harsh chemicals, but what exactly do they do to your nails? And why do we use them?

Artificial Nail Products Are Bad Because They’re Highly Toxic

Acrylics (both powder and liquid) contain MMA (methyl methacrylate), which is illegal in the EU, Canada and Australia because it can cause permanent nerve damage, kidney and liver damage and other chronic health issues.

Gel polishes contain UV light-sensitive molecules that cure the gel when exposed to UV light. The chemical component in gels that makes them harden is known as ethyl methacrylate (EMA). This chemical has been shown to cause cancer in rats when applied to their skin for extended periods of time. It is also an allergen and can

If you are a woman who has ever worn artificial nails, this article is written for you. For years women have been wearing acrylic nails in order to have beautiful nails or to hide a nail problem that they may be having. While artificial nails at first glance may seem like a great way to cover up nail problems and make your nails beautiful, the truth is that they can actually cause more harm than good. While there are many natural ways that you can help your nail problems, such as applying coconut oil to help strengthen them and using apple cider vinegar to help with fungus, there are also other things that we can do such as avoiding certain products that will cause more harm than good.

How Artificial Nails Can Affect Your Health

Artificial nails are made of acrylic or gel and these materials are applied to your natural nail using an adhesive glue. This not only causes damage to the structural nature of the natural nail but it can also cause health issues including skin irritation, infections and allergic reactions due to the materials used. These chemicals can be toxic to your body and build up over time which can lead to serious health issues. The chemicals used in artificial nails can also lead to problems with pregnancy as well as potential birth defects so they should be avoided at all costs if you are pregnant or

The products that stick nails on are all very similar but the most commonly used is cyanoacrylate, which is a derivative of superglue. The glue is brushed onto the nail and then a powder, usually acrylic, is sprinkled over it and the whole thing is shaken off leaving the acrylic stuck to the nail with the glue. The nail stylist then files down the rough parts from where the acrylic was sprinkled on and shapes the nails.

The problem with this process is that when you file down your nails to shape them you are also filing down some of your actual nail. That may not seem like a big deal but keep in mind that you do this every two weeks for several years and you are left with severely weakened natural nails that often cannot grow without artificial support.

If you keep having artificial nails applied, your natural nails will become thinner and thinner until they break and tear easily. Even when you stop having artificial nails applied your natural nails will remain weak because they have been damaged by being filed too much.

I am a nail technician and have been for 6 years now. I am also a licensed Esthetician as well. I have come across many clients that want to get acrylic tips with gel polish (also known as “Shellac” or “Gelish”) on top. This is something that I do not do because it is dangerous to your nails and health). Below is why…

Putting acrylic or gel on top of polish will create a toxic reaction. The combination of the monomer liquid, polymer powder and the gel/polish creates a chemical reaction that emits fumes which are harmful to breathe in (one of the chemicals being MMA which has been banned by the FDA). You can’t get away with having good air circulation because this reaction still happens without you knowing. This is not just my opinion but also the opinion of most reputable nail companies such as OPI, CND, Orly and Essie who refuse to put their products on top of enhancements or artificial nails because it would ruin the integrity of their product.

If this were just an aesthetic problem it would be one thing but it is far from it. It causes your natural nails to dry out, turn yellow and become weak and brittle, lifting from your nail bed creating what we call ”

Individuals have been utilizing nail polish for quite a long time. It’s the world’s most seasoned known beautifying agent. The Chinese were the first to utilize nail polish. They thought that it was by making a blend of gum Arabic and egg whites and applying it to their nails.

It wasn’t until the 1920s that nail polish was conceived. A French cosmetics organization concocted a similar kind of gel utilized today, what they called ‘nail enamel’ in an assortment of shades.

In spite of its long history, nail polish has advanced significantly since its creation. Today nail polish is made with a few synthetic compounds, most normally nitrocellulose and plasticizers. Nail polishes are accessible in an assortment of hues and a wide range of textures, for example, sheer or matte.

Despite the fact that there is presently a wide assortment of smooth alternatives for nail polish, the way toward applying it stays generally equivalent to it did in old times – utilize a base coat, paint your nails with your preferred shade(s), at that point finish off with a top coat.

Nail polish has advanced through many years from being utilized as a beautifying agent to likewise being utilized as an approach to secure nails from breaking or splitting. N