Are the chemicals used in manicures dangerous to health ?

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Beauty salons specializing in nail care are very popular , but they contain worrying chemical pollution, often unrecognized. This situation exposes personnel to significant health risks, linked to the prolonged inhalation of substances chemicals suspended in the air.

Diana Ceballos, a professor and researcher at the University of Washington in environmental and occupational health sciences, has conducted an in-depth study aimed at elucidating the nature of this pollution and its potential health impacts. Published in the journal Atmospheric Pollution Research, the latter reveals the dangers associated with nail products.

For the occasion, Ceballos also gave an interview to the media Futurity ; Here are the key takeaways.

Strongly scented products

Manicure products, despite their aesthetic appeal, often contain a cocktail of potentially harmful chemicals. Ceballos points out that scented products commonly used in these establishments, such as nail polishes and creams, often contain fragrances added for the purpose of mask the unpleasant odors emanating from solvents and other synthetic compounds.

These perfumes, far from being harmless, are often made up of recognized sensitizing agents, likely to cause skin irritations and respiratory problems. The researcher specifies that some of these substances ” can trigger an asthma attack if inhaled. Or, if they are sensitizers, they could even contribute to asthma and other respiratory complications. It's not just the skin, it's the entire immune system that's affected. And those are just the known effects ».

Ceballos' study found that to identify 18 distinct chemicals in the atmosphere of nail salons. This analysis, one of the most comprehensive to date on the chemical mixtures present in the air of these establishments, highlights the urgent need for stricter regulation of these products in order to guarantee the protection of the health of workers in the sector.

Workers on the front lines of risks

Employees of beauty salons specializing in nail care, often from ethnic minority communities and poorly paid (at least in the USA), are particularly exposed to the harmful effects of prolonged exposure to these synthetic substances omnipresent in their professional environment.

They are frequently subject to headaches, skin irritations, altered sense of smell and respiratory ailments, direct consequences of the air they breathe daily .

These professionals spend long hours in these confined environments, sometimes up to twelve hours a day, seven days a week. This continued exposure can greatly alter their well-being and quality of life.

Research reveals that even customers, although present on an occasional basis, can experience inconveniences such as headaches and nausea, due to the high concentration of chemical substances in the ambient air. « “The duration of exposure to these perfumes and other toxic chemicals is an aggravating factor ” explains the researcher.

Pollution that also affects the outdoors

The pollution generated by these establishments goes beyond their interior space. The chemical compounds present in the air end up spreading to the outdoors, thus contributing to overall air pollution. Ceballos emphasizes the importance of reducing chemical concentrations inside salons to minimize their environmental impact.

Although current regulations attempt to regulate the presence of certain substances in manicure products, there are still many gray areas regarding their real impact and their supervision.

Ceballos explains: “There are currently regulations to regulate fragrances, but we still have a lot to learn. It will take time before we can better control or guide manufacturers. We are only at the beginning, but I think we can learn a lot about fragrances in the future“.

Although the products used in manicures in the US and Europe differ in their composition, some nail polishes available in France are far from innocent, and that's without even mentioning the fragrances. Formaldehyde (endocrine disruptors), toluene (solvent derived from petroleum and also an endocrine disruptor) or parabens (ditto), the list of ingredients doesn't really make you want to try them.

• Nail salons are hotbeds of chemical pollution and the compounds used can cause health problems.
• Workers are the first victims and find themselves exposed to risks of respiratory diseases, allergies and other ailments.
• For the moment, current regulations are quite nebulous on certain aspects.

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