Did you know that some nail polishes can endanger our health?
What if when we enameled ourselves we were putting our health at stake? This is what some firms maintain that are eliminating unnecessary toxins from their lacquers. And it is that a growing number of medical investigations affirm that some of the chemicals used in nail products (the ingredients that make them not chip, dry fast, last and shine longer, for example) cause lung problems and skin infections, and others have linked them to delayed fetal development, miscarriage, and even cancer.
Given these possibilities -and although the legislation allows them in minimum doses- some cosmetic firms have chosen to voluntarily eliminate potentially toxic ingredients from their formulations. Depending on the number of eliminated, we will have 3 Free enamels (“free of” 3 toxic ingredients) up to 8 Free (free even of gluten and animal ingredients).
What are these components and what damage does each one cause? Is its toxicity by contact, by inhalation or both?
“Most nail polishes contain what is known as the “toxic trio”, which is made up of dibutyl phthalate (DBP), toluene and formaldehyde”, says Marta Alen, director of the ecofriendly Escape Madrid salon. According to this professional, DBP (used as a plasticizer) has been shown to disrupt hormones and cause reproductive abnormalities (in Australia it is listed as toxic to reproduction, and products that contain it must include on their label "may cause harm to an unborn baby” and “possible risk of decreased fertility”); toluene (which helps hairspray apply evenly), is a skin irritant, which can also affect the central nervous system (and the Environmental Protection Agency says it can damage kidney and cognitive functions, and that constant exposure during pregnancy can have adverse effects on the developing fetus): and formaldehyde (hardener), can cause throat and lung irritations, skin rashes, and cancer. "These 3 should disappear from all formulations," he adds emphatically.
Dermatologist Paloma Cornejo, a member of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venerology (AEDV) affirms that she has seen cases of contact dermatitis on the neck or eyelids, and especially very dry nails due to formaldehyde and toluene resins . "Some arrive shattered, dehydrated, splintered or with onocorrexis - she says - and there are cases of paresthesia (tingling) due to the acrylates in permanent enamels".
From the firm Masglo they reassure themselves by stating that the use of dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde, toluene or parabens is perfectly regulated and the right amount is included to make them safe (but even though they insist that they do not pose any threat, they have eliminated 4 of their formulas). And, like Dr. Cornejo, they believe that the problem lies in the methacrylates (they are found in nail glue), which are toxic both by contact and by inhalation, regardless of the dose in which they are used. "The people who work with them should always wear a mask," warns this specialist.
Is the risk, therefore, more for the manicurists in charge of handling these products and breathing the vapors day after day?
Teresa de Miguel, owner of the My Little Momo salon in Madrid, tells ABC that one of her employees had breathing difficulties when she worked in another center specializing in acrylic nails, "but in our salon, since we don't work with acrylic, we have never had a problem, neither with employees nor with clients”, he assures. “In an open and airy room, where you work with quality brands, there is no risk. Another thing is special situations such as pregnancy or women undergoing radiotherapy, to whom we always apply 5-free products”, he clarifies. These enamels eliminate, in addition to the toxic trio, tosylamide (used to give shine) because it can cause irritation and dermatitis; and camphor, a poison allowed in doses of less than 11%, but which poisons when ingested.
At Le Petit Salon they also offer both options, "because although we do not believe that the so-called traditional nail polishes are dangerous since their toxic concentrations are minimal, we have many clients who follow a global eco philosophy (food, clothing, cosmetics... ) and they ask us for ecological lacquers like those by Révérence de Bastien”, says Elena Comes, its director. “Health problems among our staff? Never," he says.
However, for Diana Burillo, creator of Hand Made Beauty, these chemical ingredients pose a danger, especially for the people who work with them on a daily basis, since many of these, such as formaldehyde, release vapors that when inhaled They affect not only our respiratory system, but also our hormonal system. “And there are other ingredients that can also cause allergies, such as gluten, which is used as a thickener in many formulations, which is why our glazes are 7 Free, gluten-free and vegan,” Burillo affirms.
Vegan? Some firms, such as Hand Made Beauty, also avoid ingredients of animal origin (pigments made from animals or resinous excretions of certain insects, for example) and follow halal production (with ingredients allowed under Islamic law). “We must push towards alternatives that are not harmful or unnecessary both for health and for the environment. Chemicals can be replaced by other biodegradable compounds that do not harm health or pollute the environment. An example is butyl acetate, a solvent that is derived from acetic acid,” explains Nina Skarabela, founder of the vegan firm OXN. "Logically, making a good enamel free of these compounds is more difficult and more expensive, but we believe it is important to have formulas without them without compromising quality," they clarify from Masglo.
For Diana Burillo there is no difficulty, as long as it is done with a top quality laboratory. “People think that because they are 'free' they are worse, but it is the opposite, since they do not contain chemicals that are harmful to health, but they continue to fulfill their function well. Now there are even lacquers with bases of renewable origin, which are the evolution of nail polish”. Marta Alen is of the opinion that "just the suspicion that our body can absorb chemical products through nail polish should be cause for concern and withdrawal, although many think that limited contact with nail polish is so small that there's not much risk."
Ladies and gentlemen, controversy is served!
Some Free nail polishes:
1- The enamels Smith & Cult are 8-free and offer perfect coverage, with a glossy finish and a duration of 10 to 12 days. In Escape Madrid
2- MIA Laurens Cosmetics nail polishes are 5-free and cruelty-free, against animal testing. In My Little Momo
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— Daniel E. Hare Tue Dec 22 11:23:02 +0000 2015