Docs gave me shock diagnosis after at-home mani kit left my hands in agony & I’m lucky it didn’t become life threatening
MUM Nilufer Atik was troubled when she looked down at her cracked and painful fingernails, horrified at just how unsightly her once beautifully manicured hands had become.
While charity worker Nilufer couldn’t afford luxuries she had always loved her immaculate nails.
But since switching from her usual salon appointments to a DIY gel manicure kit, she had suffered a severe allergic reaction which left her nails and fingers sore and scarred.
Nilufer, 47, from Surrey, says: “My nails are my pride and joy,
Symptoms can include breathing problems
“For years, I had them done in a salon. I turned to home kits during the pandemic and carried on using them to save money.
“A £50 kit bought online can last a year, compared to £30 every few weeks — which is how much it can cost with a nail technician.
“I was really happy with the results too, and thought: why not keep saving by doing it myself?”
Nilufer, single mum to Milo, six, noticed after ten applications that her nails were lifting away from their beds, and small cuts began to appear on most of her fingers.
She says: “I struggled to do the washing up or even wash my hands because they were so painful.
“I tried wearing gloves but it didn’t make a difference. My GP diagnosed contact dermatitis and we realised the culprit was the chemicals in the gel kits I’d continued to use.”
In 2018, The British Association Of Dermatologists put out a warning after women reported bad reactions to methacrylate chemicals.
One of the most common chemicals involved is hydroxyethyl methacrylate, or HEMA, an adhesive found in gel and acrylic nail treatments.
Symptoms of the allergy range from painful rashes to loosening nails and breathing problems.
A study found that 2.4 per cent of people had an allergy to at least one type of methacrylate.
Dermatology units in the UK and Ireland reported that 60 per cent of their cases were linked to “recreational exposure”, with 93 per cent of those being women.
Last month, BAD said cases were on the rise, with people relying more and more on DIY nail kits to cut costs.
Dr Deirdre Buckley, a consultant dermatologist who specialises in allergies, says more women are seeking treatment for reactions due to poor application.
A major trigger is the incorrect use of UV lamps to harden nail coating, a process called curing.
She says: “The allergic reaction happens when the uncured products come into contact with any part of the skin and it becomes sensitised.
“And if the product isn’t cured sufficiently, this can increase the risk of developing an allergy.
“Latex and vinyl gloves provide no protection, chemicals penetrate them.
“Nail technicians should be trained to wear nitrile gloves when applying the products, changing them every 30 minutes with a no-touch technique.”
And with more women turning to DIY kits during the soaring cost of living, Dr Buckley warns nasty reactions are more commonplace.
She says: “The increase has definitely come with the rise of gel-type nails, especially doing them at home.
“If you are not trained to apply the chemical, you may be getting it on your skin or contaminating surfaces that you later touch.
“One common mistake is combining a curing light bought for one product, with nail polishes that are incompatible.
“It may look hardened but it is not properly cured.”
Reactions come without warning
Allergy symptoms are not always confined to the nail area either, making reactions difficult to spot and treat.
And that means women often continue with treatments, completely unaware of the trigger.
Dr Buckley says: “Most commonly, people get a rash around their face, on their eyes or on their cheeks, due to touching the skin with the uncured nails. It’s very itchy and there may be swelling.
“It will get worse each time you do your nails. Occasionally people are so allergic they get breathing problems, as methacrylates are volatile chemicals that can emit into the air.”
Nilufer had medication to prevent her reaction becoming potentially life-threatening.
She says: “I’ve developed infections in the cracked skin and needed antibiotics to stop it turning into something more serious such as sepsis.”
Allergic reactions can come on suddenly and without warning, even if you have nails treated professionally.
Mum-of-two Lisa Dewey’s skin reacted following a professional treatment she had in February for a family party.
The NHS cleaner was eventually diagnosed with a bacterial infection and was prescribed steroids after her skin became inflamed — with one of her fingers even turning purple.
Lisa, 36, from Pattishall, Northants, says: “I don’t get manicures regularly because I need clean nails for my job, but I like gels for a special occasion.
“I’ve used the same technician before and never had any problems.
“The first time it happened I didn’t put two and two together — I failed to realise the gels had triggered it because I’d had them done before.”
When she suffered a second, more painful flare-up last month from a set of acrylics, her brother suggested she researched allergic reactions, which he had read about online.
Lisa, married to 45-year-old builder Lee, says: “It was then that the penny dropped and I let the nail technician know.
“I don’t blame her, there were no previous issues and this allergy can flare up at any time. I just wish I’d realised the risks.”
Four weeks after removing the acrylics herself, Lisa says her nails are now slowly recovering but she is still suffering from the fallout.
She says: “It’s been agony. I’ve stopped going out as it is nearly impossible to hide your hands.
“My nails have lifted and the skin is like paper. I can’t even wash my own hair properly and wearing gloves makes my hands sweaty.
‘Safety levels at home can’t match a salon’
“Even little things like buckling my daughter into her car seat can send shooting pains up my arms.
“I hate sharing the pictures but I want other people to know how bad this can be.”
Dr Buckley warns that allergic reactions can linger long after the visible signs have cleared.
She says: “If you stop using the products, your nails should get back to normal in a year, while dermatitis will clear in a couple of weeks.
“But you have become sensitised and your body won’t tolerate anything containing acrylates.
“That means you’re unable to have certain medical treatments, such as white fillings, joint replacement surgery and even some diabetes devices.
“One message has to be made clear — it is not enough to say, ‘I am going to go HEMA-free’.
“It’s only one of the chemicals in these products that can cause a reaction.
“Go to the salon and ask about the qualifications of the professionals, their training and what steps they take to reduce sensitisation for customers.
“The best advice is to completely avoid any products that use UV light.
Go back to old-fashioned nail polish, or keep away from nail treatments altogether.
If you feel you absolutely have to use a home kit, make sure the light you use is the correct one for the gel you are using.
“Read the instructions and don’t use something manufactured outside the EU.”
Lesley Blair, CEO of the British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology, hopes wider awareness of the risks will encourage women to seek out properly qualified technicians for their treatments.
She says: “The quality and safety levels at home simply cannot match those of a professional salon.
This is exactly why, since September 2021, it has been illegal to sell products containing HEMA to consumers directly.
“I advise women to use nail technicians who are part of our TIME campaign, which launched in January.
“The initiative helps signpost consumers to salons that are safe, with therapists who are appropriately trained and insured.”
- Find out more about the TIME campaign at babtac.com/news/2023/01/334.
GEL V VARNISH
GEL NAILS (“HARD” GEL): These are applied over the natural nail or used to sculpt extensions.
Needs to be cured under a UV lamp. Removed by buffing from the nail.
ACRYLIC NAILS: Mixed in the salon by combining a liquid with a powder to make a paste, which is applied over a natural nail or used to create length by adding tips.
Left to harden with exposure to air. Removed by soaking in acetone.
GEL POLISH (“SOFT” GEL): A pre-mixed product that is a hybrid of gel and nail varnish, applied like the latter.
Needs curing with a UV lamp. Removed by soaking in acetone. Shellac is a form of gel polish.