The British Association of Dermatologists is warning that fake nails are causing an “epidemic” of contact allergy in the United Kingdom. The Association says a significant number of people are being sensitised to (meth)acrylate chemicals, the key ingredients in acrylic nails, gel nails and gel polish nails.
The warning comes after a recent study found that 1 in 40 people attending dermatology units in the United Kingdom and Ireland tested positive for (meth)acrylate allergy. Of 4931 patients tested for (meth)acrylate allergy at the 13 units in 2017, about 2.4% tested positive for sensitisation to at least 1 type of (meth)acrylate and 1.5% tested positive for 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, the most common (meth)acrylate to cause allergic sensitisation.
Sixty per cent of the study participants developed the allergy through either the use of nail enhancements or nail and/or eyelash glue. Occupational sensitisation was reported in 33%. An overwhelming number of occupational cases worked as nail beauticians.
Dr Deirdre Buckley, President of the British Society of Cutaneous Allergy and study lead said: “Allergy to (meth)acrylates has the potential to behave like many of the other significant contact allergy epidemics that have occurred in the last few decades. Although the rate of allergy to (meth)acrylates is continuing to increase, many doctors are unaware of the issue, and these chemicals are not routinely included in patch tests. We are now recommending that all dermatologists to patch test (meth)acrylates routinely.”
