Reasons for allergy to gel polish

[claire bear]

I have a client that has all of a sudden become allergic to gel polish
Her skin around her fingers is all itchy and skin peeling off
There has been a lot in the media about allergies due to inexperienced nail techs etc
So my question is can a client get an allergy to a product even when the product is applied correctly and doesn’t touch the skin

 

[AcidPerm]

An interesting question OP.
Are you using the matching lamp to ensure a proper cure?
Could there be uncured dust in the air when you file to break the topcoat?

Otherwise,
Is she having any other services such as hair colour or lashes (allergy to the glue?).
I know that some people who are allergic to hair colour develop itchy peeling skin on their fingers.
I think the only way she can be certain of the cause is to be referred to a consultant dermatologist for further testing by her GP.
They will identify the specific chemicals that she is allergic to.

 

[claire bear]

An interesting question OP.
Are you using the matching lamp to ensure a proper cure?
Could there be uncured dust in the air when you file to break the topcoat?

Otherwise,
Is she having any other services such as hair colour or lashes (allergy to the glue?).
I know that some people who are allergic to hair colour develop itchy peeling skin on their fingers.
I think the only way she can be certain of the cause is to be referred to a consultant dermatologist for further testing by her GP.
They will identify the specific chemicals that she is allergic to.

Hi thanks for replying
Yes I use the correct lamp
May I ask what you mean regarding the uncured dust in the air xx

 

[AcidPerm]

Hi thanks for replying
Yes I use the correct lamp
May I ask what you mean regarding the uncured dust in the air xx

If you were not fully curing each coat of the product, when it’s filed away, the dust particles generated will land on both you and the client (and you could be breathing it in). However, if you’re using the correct lamp and timings, this seems much less likely.

Definitely check if she’s been having other regular beauty services because the fact it’s only her fingers tips that are reacting, could be a red herring.

 

[claire bear]

It’s funny you say that because Iv never been happy with gel 11 lamps... sometimes the product is dull however many times we cure x

 

[user 25446]

The recent reports by the British Association of Dermatologists made several important points:

1. 60% of those tested positive were "recreational users". Possibly that could also include part-timers, or folks working black.
2. 33% were professional NT.
3. #1 cause was thought to be due to under cured dust from not using matched UV lamp and gels/GP.

3. can be due to several reasons:

• brand has not matched their gels/GP to their UV lamp, or used a method that is not accurate. There is a myth, that if you cure a blob of gel on a form, that the UV lamp correctly cures the gel when the underside is hard. This is false. Gels are hard enough to file when only 50% polymerised. The only way to test if a UV lamp works correctly for the specific gels, is to test in a laboratory.
• NT buys lamp and gels/GP from Brand A, but wants more colours and buys these from Brand B
• NT is using a UV lamp with 9W bulbs and these need replacing or are not replaced soon enough

Of course, the other causes of allergies is NT not using nitrile gloves, using gloves that are thick enough (0.19mm) and not using a professional dust/vapour air filter. It's impossible to develop an allergy if there is no skin contact or inhalation of uncured or under cured product/dust.

With regard to the OP's question. Allergies can occur at any time. But they are rarely sudden. They need prolonged overexposure to occur, usually over years. Then first there is usually a period of sensitisation, where allergy like symptoms appear but are ignored, until a full blown irreversible allergy occurs.

It could be that a client previously visited another nail salon who were much less careful, and then changed to you. Especially if this was a high-street salon that slathered monomer over the surrounding skin when using the one-ball L&P method.

Or with gel polish only, it could be due to:

• removing the inhibition layer and skin contact happening then
• under cured GP dissolved during soak-off coming into contact with the skin

 

[user 25446]

Your client should visit the GP, get referred to a dermatologist and have a patch test to determine which chemicals may be causing the reaction.