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If you already knew this fact, youre steps ahead of me.
If youre like me and had no idea, get ready to hear what makes acrylics an allergy culprit.
Justin Lambert / Getty Images
Keep reading to learn more.
Meet the Experts
What Are Acrylic Nails?
So what ingredients are in the formula?
Well, its pretty simple.
So now that we know the combo, what makes acrylic nails cause allergies?
The culprit is likely methacrylate, a component of the liquid and powder mixture.
Can You Be Allergic to Acrylic Nails?
This can be especially true if your nail tech is cutting around the cuticle.
“Don’t trim the cuticles,” she advises.
“Cuticles protect the nail and surrounding skin from infections.”
As an alternative to trimming the cuticle, try a liquid cuticle melter.
I can personally vouch for Butter London’s Melt Away Cuticle Exfoliator.
After two minutes, the formula gently melts away dry or overgrown cuticles sans cutting.
I then follow up with a cuticle oil or cream.
“A patch test can be done to confirm an allergic contact dermatitis.”
Celebrity manicurist Deborah Lippman recommends gel or nail wraps as an alternative to acrylic nails.
So let’s talk about alternatives.
Additionally, there are options from mainstay brands, too.
And the best part?
Each of these sets is reusable.
Nail art, but make it eco-friendly.
This technique will prevent you from filing off or chipping the design.
Gel Nail Wraps
Gel manicuresare another ideal alternative to acrylics.
But, we have a solution: gel nail wraps.
While traditional nail wraps are made with nail polish, gel nail wraps are made with gel polish.
The material is flexible, making it easy to mold onto different nail shapes and sizes.
Methyl methacrylate- Contact Dermatitis Institute.
How to recognize an allergic reaction to artificial nails.
Baylor College of Medicine.
