When people at home wanted a pop of color on their nails, the solution used to be simple: They would pull out a bin filled with nail polish and get to work. They would meticulously paint each fingernail with traditional polish, using their nail as a canvas, trying to prevent the paint from spilling onto their skin.
These days, many people are drawn to gel manicures because they are durable and last longer. Nails that once chipped in a matter of days now last two to three weeks without a single smudge or chip. But with the ease of new technologies, there are also hidden risks.
In the years since the pandemic kept people in their homes and closed nail shops, some turned to gel manicure kits purchased online, hoping to create salon-like results at home. The practice has only grown — and it could be creating its own outbreak of health issues, experts have said.
“During covid, people stopped getting their nails done at the salon and started doing them at home with inexpensive systems,” said Jim McConnell, a cosmetic chemist who analyzes the chemical composition of products. “Doing gel nails at home with systems that you buy for very little money ... can lead to problems.”
Here’s what you need to know about at-home gel manicure kits to better protect yourself from potential harm.
How do DIY gel kits work, and what are the risks?
The key to gel polish’s success, compared to regular nail polish, is in its application. Wet gel polish, cured under UV or LED lights, is ready to be flaunted after just minutes, while normal nail polish can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to air dry.
But experts worry about the chemicals in those gel kits ordered online.
“These kits are often sold by unreliable, unknown manufacturers who don’t even follow FDA regulations,” said Vitaly Solomonov, a dermatologist and cosmetic chemist.
Many kits are made in locations where chemicals may be unregulated, McConnell said. Some of the products use high concentrations of different resins that adhere the gel polish to the nail. The concern, McConnell said, is that the powerful adhesive “comes at a cost” to the natural nail.
If people develop an allergen to different chemicals, due to improper application and high concentrations of hazardous adhesive resins, symptoms may include irritation, swelling, redness, or even open lesions and pus. In severe cases, it can result in the loss of the fingernail, McConnell said.
Acrylates and methacrylates, chemicals in these gel polishes, “are all considered allergens of varying strengths and degrees of allergic response,” McConnell said.
Some of these chemicals are safe at a low concentration. But, McConnell said, the problem is that some products ordered online use high concentrations of inexpensive ingredients that “could cause issues.”
Problems often occur when gel polish is improperly applied by untrained people at home.
“No one would try to treat or replace their own teeth without a dentist. Modern nail-care technologies, which have roots in dentistry historically, share a lot in common — they require professional skills and knowledge to avoid numerous unwanted side effects,” Solomonov said.
Harmful chemicals can be found in the base coat, the gel polish color and in the building gel.
Which chemicals can be most risky?
Hydroxyethyl methacrylate, also known as HEMA, can be found in gel polish, acrylic and nail glue. Under UV or LED lights, the reactive ingredient becomes hardened, giving nails that glossy, durable finish.
The small molecular size of HEMA allows it to easily travel through the skin. Once absorbed by the skin, HEMA can cause skin to become swollen, red and itchy.
Once people develop an allergy to HEMA, any product with acrylates or other methacrylates can cause a reaction — including the medical and dental products that sometimes use the substance. HEMA is used as the basic material in contact lenses, dental fillers and crowns, and some materials used in orthopedic surgeries.
“The insidious nature of any allergy is its chronic, lifelong course. In the case of nail product allergies, the situation is complicated by the fact that these allergies develop over a long period, often years of continuous and improper use of gel polishes,” Solomonov said.
McConnell said if someone develops an allergy to the product, “you probably won’t be able to use gel polish [again]. And you might also not be able to have a knee replacement.”
Isobornyl acrylate, also known as IBOA, is used as an adhesive for nails because of its fast-curing properties.
In 2020, the American Contact Dermatitis Society named isobornyl acrylate the contact allergen of the year. Patients developed allergic reactions to their diabetes medical devices, including insulin pumps and glucose monitoring systems, that included the substance. Isobornyl acrylate is an essential adhesion ingredient in devices that allow medicines to pass through the skin and enter the body, such as nicotine patches and hormonal patches, McConnell said.
“If you get isobornyl acrylate on the skin, you could develop an allergy to it pretty quickly,” McConnell said.
The improper application of HEMA, IBOA and other monomers could make the difference between a colorful set and an allergic reaction. If applied too thickly, the product underneath will have a hard time properly curing under the LED and UV lights. Uncured product can leach during regular activities and be released through hand-washing into the skin.
In severe cases, allergic reactions to different adhesive resins can lead to the nail separating from the skin. The condition, called onycholysis, could leave people without a nail.
Dimethyl sulfoxide, also known as DMSO, is a solvent found in the priming, base and building systems of gel manicures. It’s used to help the polish stick to the nail. But, when mixed with other chemicals, DMSO can transport other substances through the fingernail, where it can linger in the tissue and cause a potential reaction.
DMSO is commonly used in antifungal treatments, delivering the antifungal medicine through to the nail onto the fungus-riddled tissue beneath.
How to prevent risks with at-home kits
The simplest answer may frustrate you — you could end your relationship with the at-home kits. For experts, the money saved doing nails at home doesn’t outweigh the potential exposure risk from hazardous allergens.
“Don’t do your nails at home,” McConnell said, referring to the gel kits. He urged people at home to stop using gel nail polish and return to using regular polish.
Solomonov said salon-style gel nails should be left to the professionals.
“The best approach is to find a knowledgeable and professional nail technician to beautify your nails,” Solomonov said. “I would urge people not to skimp on professional services because trying to save on small expenses can often lead to paying with your health.”
They also suggested that if you start experiencing allergic reactions on your nail plate or on the skin surrounding the nail, remove the nail polish immediately.
