Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Manicurists!! Seems I am alergic to acrylic chemicals...?

for the past 3 fills (two weeks between each fill) my fingers itch and swell terribly. I'm pretty sure sure that I'm having an alergic reaction to it, buy WHY after 15 years? Anyway...





I will be taking the acrylics off this weekend but I have noticed that my cuticles are very dry, cracked and HARD and the skin on my fingertips underneath the nail is dry and sensitive. I use vitamin E oil and cuticle oil several times a day and massage it in but I'm not getting much relief. Any suggestions and thank you!Manicurists!! Seems I am alergic to acrylic chemicals...?
I agree that you are most likely experiencing an allergic reaction often referred to as contact dermatitis. This may occur on any part of the body. It is the direct result of repeated exposure to a particular chemical. Being that we are all different, repeated contact with certain chemicals affect some of us, while others may not have an allergic reaction at all. It depends on the person. Symptoms of an allergic reaction usually take many months or even many years before they first appear. Some people may be allergic to something, yet show no symptoms of an allergy.


Artificial nail enhancements such as UV light cure gels, acrylics, and wraps all have chemicals used in the products which may cause contact dermatitis. Most often, direct contact of these chemicals with the skin surrounding the nail is what causes an allergic reaction. With acrylic nails, a nail tech who applies acrylic products sloppily in such a way that the chemicals get on the skin is one of the main causes of an allergic reaction. It also happens when the tech works too 'wet' (uses too much liquid). The excess liquid doesn't harden underneath, and -over time, the chemicals may work their way through the nail plate into the nail bed which will usually result in contact dermatitis after many repeated exposures. Changing techs, or even brands of acrylic is not likely to help since once an allergy has formed in the bosy, it never goes away. Further contact with an allergen will only result in more severe symptoms. Thus, a person affected by an allergy has no choice but to eliminate exposure to the allergen altogether.In your case, I think it's best to avoid acrylic nails from now on. If you want to still have your nails done, there is a good chance that switching from acrylic nails to UV gel nails may be helpful. Or it may not. It depends on which chemical(s) are the culprit which cause this reaction in you. Just a thought...


Cuticles: You are on the right track by using cuticle oil. Apply 2-3 times a day, every day. Vitamin E may also be beneficial. But it will take some time for the skin to heal. In the meantime, continue to apply cuticle oil every day. Also, avoid prolonged contact with water by wearing cotton lined rubber gloves while doing dishes - for example. Or while using household chemicals when cleaning. The main thing is to keep the skin moisturized. Water will remove moisture from the skin. Oil doesn't replace the moisture that is lost. But it will help to prevent further loss of moisture from the skin. One more thing: After washing your hands, always apply moisturizing hand lotion after drying your hands off. This helps a lot, especially during the colder winter months. Essentially, nurture your hands and nails, keep them well moisturized, and before you know it you'll begin to see a big difference in them.


Sorry this was soooo long, but I hope I helped. Manicurists!! Seems I am alergic to acrylic chemicals...?
AH! =[ maybe your salon started using a new kind of acrylic...go ask them and ask them the kind they are using, start going to another salon and make sure they dont use the same.

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