As we have discussed before, there is a big issue with allergies in the nail industry right now. Surely everyone working in this sector is aware of this. Or are they not?
Frankly, I am shocked at what I read on social media posts. Of course, not everyone understands the deeper scientific mechanisms that are causing this (not everyone has the love of science that I have, which is OK). However, to not understand the basics of allergies and feel the need to ask unknown people on Facebook? Really??
There is a vast amount of info on this site, so what are the basics? Let’s take a look at them.
- An allergy can only happen if the allergens in nail coating products touch or reach the skin enough to penetrate.
- This can happen through direct skin contact with:
-undercured coatings
-products with a very high level of monomers that cannot properly cure
-dust from buffing or a soak removal if the coating is undercured - If you or your client has developed an allergy there HAS been skin contact.
- Symptoms can happen within a matter of days or weeks.
- It is irrelevant if someone has been wearing a coating for a year+ with no issues. That is because everyone has a safe and unsafe level of overexposure.
The people who post “my client has been wearing this same UV gel polish for a year with no problem so it can’t be an allergy” are WRONG!!! And, unfortunately, there are many of them.
If nail pros do not understand the basics, what are they telling their clients??? Whatever it is, they are wrong, although they are supposed to be the expert professional in that relationship.
As a nail pro, it is YOUR responsibility to have a good grasp of the facts.
Keep up with the program!!!!!!!