Allergy to gel polish: causes and methods of treatment

What is shellac and its composition?

Shellac is a product of American origin that appeared on the market in 2010. With its help, you can get a deep color that lasts a long time on your nails and retains its shine, without the need for extensions.

Shellac is a gel polish with a wide range of colors. There is no need to file your nails or apply primer before using it. But in this case, the nail plate is subjected to severe drying.

The gel polish does not contain formaldehyde or toluene, so it is considered a fairly safe product.

In this case, the coating is made using:

• phenylketone;
• methacrylate;
• butyl acetate;
• hectorite;
• diacetone alcohol;
• folic acid;
• nitrocellulose.

What is a nail degreaser, what is it called, what is it used for?

This product is necessary to remove dust particles and oily layers from the nail plates. This subsequently ensures excellent adhesion to the applied coating. Proven professional products containing butyl acetates are used as a degreaser. In particular, these are Kodi Nail Freshel (degreasing liquid), CND ScrubFresh and others.

Many people confuse degreasers and nail primer and believe that they have the same purpose. This is wrong. Primers are able to remove excess liquid from the nail plates, while degreasers only clean the nails. Therefore, experienced professionals advise using both.

Using a degreaser for nail plates in nail art

Types and manifestations of allergies to gel polish

An allergy is an intense reaction of the immune system to the presence of a foreign irritant in the body. An allergen can enter the body in several ways. When using gel polish, respiratory and contact allergic manifestations .

Dermatological

Contact, or dermatological, allergies occur when gel nail polish comes into contact with the skin. The first symptoms of an allergy appear on the palms and feet, as well as in those places of the body where the varnish got due to the carelessness of the manicurist-pedicurist

If a woman does not react to allergies and uses shellac for a long time, then gradually allergic manifestations can occur in any part of the body.

Characteristic signs of dermatological allergies:

• swelling, blisters on the skin of the fingers, over time such blisters burst;
• a small red rash in the area of ​​the fingers, sometimes the rash appears on the palms;
• dryness, peeling and peeling of the skin on the fingers;
• severe itching and burning, sometimes they are so intense that they cannot be tolerated;
• detachment of the nail plate.

With such manifestations of allergies, the quality of life and performance are greatly reduced.

Respiratory

When inhaling shellac vapors, a respiratory allergy may occur, in which:

• eyes become swollen, red and itchy;
• tears flow;
• tickle in the throat;
• coughing and sneezing bothers you;
• the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, tongue and lips swell;
• mucous nasal discharge appears.

Respiratory allergies, which are accompanied by swelling, can be dangerous, because with progression there is a risk of developing Quincke's edema. It may cause suffocation.

Allergy to gel polish in pregnant women

If a woman has already used shellac and did not encounter allergies before pregnancy, then an allergic reaction is unlikely to occur during pregnancy. But for some women, pregnancy can still provoke the appearance of allergies due to changes occurring in the body.

Immune functions are weakened during pregnancy, but the body is able to respond with a violent reaction to chemicals. This condition is dangerous for the fetus, especially in the first trimester. Experts note that the danger is posed by shellac vapors, which are considered toxic.

Can you be allergic to nail degreaser?

Unfortunately, a degreaser, like any other solution, can cause an allergic reaction in women. Allergy symptoms are as follows:

• Severe itching
• Redness of the epidermis
• The skin becomes dry and begins to peel after a while
• General malaise, drowsiness
• Fast fatiguability
• Increased temperature (in some cases)

Minor allergenic reaction to degreaser

IMPORTANT : If you experience such symptoms, then replace your degreaser with another one, be sure to consult a doctor, let him recommend effective medications that will alleviate your condition and help you cope with the disease.

What else could the reaction be?

In addition to an allergy to chemicals, a reaction to other products that are used in the process of applying varnish is possible. One of them is a sticky layer of base or top, so the artist should not allow such a coating to come into contact with the skin surrounding the nail. When removing the sticky layer, you must act carefully so as not to injure the skin.

If you are allergic to the sticky coating, you must use the base and top without the presence of an irritant.

Allergy to ultraviolet light

This side effect is rare. Ultraviolet radiation itself is not capable of provoking a reaction in the body, but under its influence chemical processes are activated in skin cells. Sometimes the product of interaction between a UV lamp and gel polish acts as an allergen.

To find out what causes the body's allergic reaction, you should start using gel polishes, which do not require a UV lamp to dry. If after using such a product there is no reaction, it means that the allergen is ultraviolet radiation.

Allergy to gel polish remover

Nail polish removers are made on the basis of a chemical solvent - acetone , its derivatives or substitutes. The products also contain isopryl alcohol . Solvent and alcohol cause dry nails.

To neutralize it, manufacturers use other components:

• petrolatum;
• glycerol;
• vitamin A and E;
• components of plant origin (essential oils);
• silicone

An allergy to gel nail polish remover can be caused by any components, including organic ones.

Hypoallergenic coatings, alternatives to gel polish

What to do if you are faced with a similar problem, but don’t want to give up a beautiful long-term coating? There are several options to solve this problem. The first is the use of only high-quality gel polishes, which are produced using special technologies 3FREE, 5FREE, 7FREE, which avoid the use of the most aggressive components. These include the following brands:

• Shellac CND;
• Gelcolor OPI;
• Jessica Gelation;
• Beautix.

However, remember that 100% protection against allergies is not guaranteed with the above gel polishes, because such an unexpected reaction of the body can occur due to any component included in the product.

A good alternative to gel polish coating can be hybrids of gel polish and regular varnish from Sophin and Vinilux brand CND. They do not need to be dried in a lamp, and the coating lasts for about a week.

Diagnosis of an allergic reaction

The clinical signs of allergies are very pronounced, so diagnosing the problem is not difficult. Although some manifestations are characteristic of infectious and dermatological diseases:

• eczema;
• fungal skin lesions on the arms and legs (dermatomycosis);
• depriving;
• psoriasis;
• scabies.

The main signal that symptoms indicate an allergy is the recent application of gel polish. Eliminating contact with this irritant will help get rid of the problem.

But you can’t make a diagnosis yourself. It is necessary to visit a specialist and undergo a series of examinations.

Visual inspection

The first thing the doctor does is examine the skin and check the condition of the mucous membranes. If rashes, blisters, cracks, erosions in the area of ​​fingers and toes are detected, the development of infectious and dermatological diseases is excluded. After this, gel polish allergy therapy is prescribed.

Skin tests

To identify the irritant, the clinic performs skin tests in several ways:

1. Scarification test. The specialist takes a needle or lancet and makes small scratches near the forearm, applying particles of an external irritant.
2. Application test. The method is safe and does not require damage to the epidermis. The doctor soaks a piece of cotton wool with the allergen and applies it to the patient's skin.
3. Prick test. A small amount of allergen is applied to the skin, after which a small puncture is made in the sample area using a needle with a limiter.

Laboratory research

The dermatologist and allergist gives the patient a referral for laboratory diagnostics, which may include:

• blood analysis;
• linked immunosorbent assay;
• radioallergosorbent test;
• measuring the amount of immunoglobulin in the blood.

The most sensitive research method is the allergen panel. Possible irritants are divided into parts and applied to the panel. If you have an allergy, dark stripes appear on the panel.

Treatment of allergies to gel polish with pharmaceutical preparations

The first thing to do is remove the coating, even if it looks good and has been done recently. But such actions will be effective at the early stage of allergy manifestation. If the reaction has been developing for a long time, then the impact of chemical irritants on the damaged epidermis will lead to undesirable consequences.

Treatment tactics are selected depending on the type of reaction.

Contact allergy

For treatment the following are used:

• ointments;
• systemic antihistamines in the form of tablets, injections, syrups (Suprastin, Loratadine, Tavegil);
• moisturizing creams.

Hormonal ointment is considered a good remedy against allergies to gel polish. It relieves itching, blisters, rashes, and has an anti-inflammatory effect. If the rash is weeping, the ointment should be applied with caution to avoid infection.

Suitable for therapy:

• Elokom;
• Dermovate;
• Advantan;
• Akriderm.

Non-hormonal drugs with local effects that have antipruritic, anti-inflammatory and antihistamine effects:

• Gistan;
• Fenistil;
• Bepanten.

For dry skin, peeling and cracks, moisturizing creams are used.

Respiratory allergies

If an intense respiratory reaction occurs, it is necessary to call an ambulance to exclude the development of life-threatening pathologies.

First aid is to take a systemic antihistamine. If the reaction is mild and does not progress, you can try to cope on your own.

For this, combined nasal drops are used:

• Sanorin;
• Allergodil;
• Vibrocil.

You can also take a sorbent once to remove toxins from the gastrointestinal tract.

Boric acid: can it be used as a nail degreaser?

This pharmacy product, which is also inexpensive, can be used without fear. Thanks to its composition, boric acid copes well with the process of cleaning nail plates and degreasing them. The main thing is to use the solution correctly:

• To clean your nails, use napkins rather than cotton swabs so that the lint does not remain on the treated surface.
• After the process, do not touch the nail plates, otherwise you will upset the sweat-fat balance, and you will have to carry out the treatment again.

Nail degreaser - boric acid

Folk remedies

Traditional medicine suggests fighting mild allergies with the help of chamomile and string baths.

Take 2 tbsp. l. dry herbs, add 1 liter of water, bring to a boil and leave for an hour. Strain and make hand baths 2 times a day. The resulting product is lubricated on the affected skin and used for compresses and lotions.

The following plants have antiallergic properties:

• sage;
• yarrow;
• celandine;
• mint.

Ointments are prepared based on petroleum jelly and herbal ingredients.

An effective remedy for a reaction to shellac is black cumin oil. To prepare a healing mixture, mix ¼ cup of oil with the same amount of rose water and add a glass of brown flour. The mixture is applied to the affected areas of the skin for 15 minutes. The procedure is repeated morning and evening.

What if you want a manicure?

A beautiful manicure can be done using varnish that you are not allergic to. To choose the best option, you can try cosmetics that belong to the expensive segment.

Safe varnishes

Hypoallergenic gel polishes:

• Shellac (CND);
• Gelcolor (OPI);
• Gelish Harmony;
• Jessica Gelation;
• RuNail.

But it is worth understanding that each body is individual and the risk of allergies cannot be completely excluded.

If you are allergic to nail polish removers, you must choose another option. It is better to use solvents from the same manufacturer as shellac, or choose products from the expensive segment. Another way to combat allergies is to mechanically remove gel polish, but then the top layer of the nails will be damaged.

If you react to ultraviolet light, you should use shellac, which dries without a UV lamp (Vinilux, GelLac).

How to restore a nail after an allergy?

Nail restoration is possible after complete elimination of allergic symptoms through glucocorticoid and antihistamine treatment.

It is necessary to take care of your skin:

• use moisturizing creams, oils that contain vitamins and glycerin;
• make herbal baths;
• maintain hygiene;
• take a break from shellac.

If it is no longer possible to restore the nail plate, then it is removed in the clinic chemically or surgically. But such a procedure must be directed by the attending physician.

Causes of allergies after gel polish

Identifying the cause is not always easy, since different materials are used when working with gel polish, which do not always contain safe components for everyone.

• Composition of gel polish. Allergies can occur to components such as formaldehyde, toluene, methacrylic, phosphoric and citric acid, xylene. You will not find a gel polish that lacks all of them, since it is thanks to them that the durability of the coating, rapid polymerization, its shine and elasticity are achieved. However, sometimes the manufacturer can change the concentration of a particular component, which can affect both its properties and cause allergies.
• Liquid for removing stickiness . Its composition may also not be suitable for someone and cause an allergic reaction. It is better to choose products that contain alcohol and do not resemble a solvent. They will be a little more expensive, but as an allergen, they can be the last thing you think about.
• Gel polish remover. If it contains acetone, then if you work without gloves and use it frequently, you are guaranteed to quickly get reddened skin and itching. Therefore, this problem most often concerns the manicurist. If you, as a client (or do the coating and remove it yourself) feel discomfort when removing gel polish by soaking it with a special product, then it is better to immediately remove it and try a different liquid.
• Gloves . The specialist may experience skin problems after wearing them for a long time if: Do not change them regularly after each client,
• Do not change gloves if they are damaged during work,
• Use cheap latex gloves powdered with talcum powder.
• Do not use gloves when working on tips, when sterilizing instruments or cleaning the workplace.

If gel polish bakes in the lamp, this is not an allergy, the reason is different, I wrote about this in a separate article.

Obviously, manicurists who are forced to work with it every day are most susceptible to allergies. All the reasons that cause it can be divided into 4 groups:

1. Neglecting the technique of working with the material,
2. The use of cheap and low-quality liquids,
3. Failure to comply with safety regulations,
4. Neglect of ventilation of the office and lack of ventilation in it.

Gel polish that does not cause allergies

Does such a thing exist? To attract attention, some manufacturers indicate that the material is hypoallergenic, but no one can say this 100%. Yes, many try to make the composition of the material as safe as possible (the same Big5free, big3free), but a negative reaction cannot be completely ruled out: each organism is individual, and what is harmless for one can have very unpleasant consequences for another.

Preventing the development of allergies

Preventive measures that will help minimize the risk of a reaction to shellac:

• take an allergy test;
• use original gel polish purchased at the salon (before purchasing, you need to make sure the quality of the product, compliance with the rules and shelf life);
• do not use gel polish immediately after an illness;
• between each coating, take a break of several weeks and during this time carry out caring measures (baths, taking strengthening agents);
• do not allow shellac to come into contact with the skin;
• contact only professional manicurists and pedicurists.

If a master suffers from allergies, then he needs to work in a mask and gloves, wear long sleeves, thoroughly clean the workplace, and regularly ventilate the room.

If after several attempts you cannot find the right shellac, then you should not aggravate the situation and harm your health. It is better to abandon this product and give preference to classic varnish.

How to make nail degreaser at home?

For good nail art, you will definitely need a degreaser. It is used:

• When filing nail plates
• To remove natural gloss from nail plates
• Before starting the process of applying the coating and creating a pattern on the nails
• Before applying the last layer
• To remove the sticky layer from the nail plates
• After completing the creation of the required nail shape

Degreaser for nail plates at home
The following products are suitable as a degreaser at home:

• Vinegar . Try not to use this product frequently as it may damage the structure of your nail plates.
• Boric acid . It can be bought at any pharmacy kiosk.
• Cologne . Just not eau de toilette, triple cologne will do just fine.
• Acetone . Frequent use of this solution may cause damage to your nails.
• Alcohol . Medical alcohol is used. However, in some cases, due to its use, nails dry out.
• Lemon juice . When using this natural remedy, make sure that the liquid is free of pulp residues; to achieve this effect, strain the squeezed juice through cheesecloth.