You Can Be Allergic To Gel Manicures — & You Might Not Even Know It

Thanks to a rush of Instagram-worthy new trends (jelly nails, fruit nails, mismatched nails...), the demand for certain nail enhancements, including acrylics and gels, has shot up recently.

But their rise in popularity is proving to be a cause for concern for dermatologists, who this week issued a warning that methacrylate chemicals, the key ingredients in acrylic and gel nails, are causing an "allergy epidemic" in the United Kingdom and Ireland, which is "overwhelmingly affecting women."

The 2017 study, conducted by the British Association of Dermatologists, found that allergic reactions are likely to happen when uncured (still wet) substances touch the skin, and that they can involve loosening nails or a severe red, itchy rash — not just localized to the fingertips, but potentially anywhere on the body that has come into contacts with the nails.

The study took three types of nail enhancements into consideration: gel nails, acrylic nails, and gel polish. It involved 4,931 people from 13 UK and Irish dermatology units and tested them for methacrylate allergy. It found that 1.5% tested positive to 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (2-HEMA), the most common methacrylate to cause allergic sensitization, and 2.4% tested positive to at least one type of methacrylate. It also concluded that women made up 93% of those affected.

The findings might seem negligible, but they're backed up by a separate survey conducted by the British Association of Dermatologists, with the help of Stylfile. The research concluded that out of 742 people, 19% of those had "experienced adverse effects from acrylic nails applied in salons, and 16% from gel polish nails applied in salons." According to the survey, the reactions included "nail damage and allergic dermatitis — itching and swelling on hands, eyelids, cheeks, and neck." Although very rare, the study pinpointed breathing problems as an issue, too.

“It is really important that people know they can develop allergies from artificial nails," says consultant dermatologist Dr. David Orton of the British Association of Dermatologists. "The truth is that there will be many women out there with these allergies who remain undiagnosed, because they may not link their symptoms to their nails, especially if the symptoms occur elsewhere on the body. It is important that they get a diagnosis so that they can avoid the allergen, but also because developing an allergy to these chemicals can have lifelong consequences for dental treatments and surgeries where devices containing these allergens are in common use."

Dr. Deirdre Buckley, from the Royal United Hospital Bath, President of the British Society of Cutaneous Allergy and the consultant dermatologist leading the initial study adds, “Although the rate of allergy to methacrylates is continuing to increase, many doctors are unaware of the issue, and these chemicals are not routinely included in patch tests. We are now recommending that all dermatologists patch test for methacrylates routinely."

The findings apply to at-home kits, too. "We would particularly urge people to be careful when using home kits," Dr. Buckley says. "If you do use one, make sure that you use the recommended UV lamp for curing, and read the instructions carefully. Using the wrong lamp may mean that the gel polish does not cure properly, and this means an increased chance of allergy. Also, avoid any direct skin contact with the methacrylate nail product.”

If you're worried or experiencing any of the above allergy symptoms, book an appointment with your doctor or an experienced dermatologist, who can advise you further. Don't let your obsession with long, on-trend nails put your health at risk — no matter how strong and shiny they might look for a full two weeks...