Formaldehyde in nail polish, why is aldehyde dangerous and harmful?

Varnish with formaldehyde
Before understanding the effect of formaldehyde on the human body, you should remember organic chemistry. After all, formaldehyde, a colorless gas, is an organic compound (aldehyde) of formic acid, in high concentrations, a harmful substance that causes chemical burns. Formaldehyde (or rather, preparations based on it) is used, for example, in the tanning industry and in the production of photographic film. A lot of formaldehyde is used in light industry, in the production of fabrics or in the production of tableware, especially plastic.

This drug is one of the best color “holders”. That is why he took his place in the cosmetics and manicure industry. Before talking about its negative aspects, it is worth mentioning that it is used in medicine. The most well-known use of formaldehyde in medicine is as an antiseptic and preservative for the storage and preservation of biological material. Just as in medicine, formaldehyde preparations are also used as a preservative in the production of cosmetics.

Usage

This drug is one of the best color “holders”. That is why he took his place in the cosmetics and manicure industry. Before we talk about whether it is actually harmful, it is worth mentioning that it is used in medicine. The most well-known use of formaldehyde in medicine is as an antiseptic and preservative for the storage and preservation of biological material. Just as in medicine, formaldehyde preparations are also used as a preservative in the production of cosmetics.

Flask in hands

Of course, with proper processing, chemical production produces compounds that include formaldehyde in a concentration that is safe for the human body, but cosmetics manufacturers who use this drug in their production do not always follow the correct dosage. Since there is harm from the composition, according to global rules for the use of formaldehyde as a preservative, its use in oral care products is allowed - no more than 0.01%, in other cosmetics - no more than 0.02%.

The use of formaldehyde in products directly applied to the skin is not recommended, so they are used mainly in the production of shampoos and nail polishes. Shampoo, by definition, cannot remain on the skin; its contact with it is negligible, and it is also quickly washed off with water. Nail polish, in principle, also does not come into contact with the skin, so the presence of formaldehyde resins in its composition is somewhat justified. Formic aldehyde in manicure nail polish acts as a solvent; if it were not present in the varnish, the latter would immediately dry out while still in the bottle. But, of course, the harmlessness (as well as the harm) of the presence of this compound in varnish causes a lot of controversy and controversy.

How to reduce harmful effects?

Gel polish is an excellent solution for modern ladies, regardless of age category. After all, not every day there is time to take care of your nails. And a trip to the master guarantees a wonderful and well-groomed manicure for quite a long period.

Let's start with the privileges of gel polish

Of course, this is great durability. Especially if you also take the varnish of the previous generation for comparison. After all, it was scary to even wash dishes with it, because water could cause peeling. The gel coating can stay on the nails for about three weeks. Yes, the correct application and quality of materials play a role, but that’s another conversation.
Strengthens the nails themselves, although this aspect also includes other nuances, which we will talk about later. But, on average, a durable layer of varnish also protects the nails themselves from creases. This is especially true for girls with weak and thin nails. This gives them the opportunity to show off a long manicure without resorting to extensions.
Moreover, gel polish can easily even “fix” a broken nail. To do this, you just need to cover the broken area with a strip from a tea bag. Glue it onto the base and try to give it a natural shape. And then apply the base to the entire nail and subsequent layers in the proper order.
It is also worth highlighting the first base layer, which also helps to eliminate other unevenness or deformations of the natural nail. It often happens that due to a lack of vitamins, the nail plate turns out in waves - gel polish will hide this nuance. But keep in mind that you still need to drink Vita!
The appearance is preserved for a long time without chipping or even loss of shine. Your hands will be well-groomed and presentable.
The choice of varnishes is huge, and the coating itself comes out brighter, smoother and neater.
This can be attributed to the absence of a pungent odor, which is typical of conventional varnishes.

Those ladies who have tried a manicure with shellac coating at least once can no longer resist subsequent correction and application of a new design. After all, nothing pleases a real woman more than a fresh manicure.

You can wear gel polish for several weeks without fear for its integrity.

But gel polish also has a downside.

Applying gel polish requires skill. The quality of the manicure and the health of the nails will depend on this.
And suitable materials. Although today products can be bought without problems for home use, the high cost is an order of magnitude higher than ordinary varnish. Although, if you add up all the costs for regular polish and multiply by the number of frequent removals and applications, then the gel polish side wins.
Removal also requires special tools and even skills. And this ties, to some extent, to the master or home equipment. But again let's draw an analogy with a simple varnish. Gel polish will calmly stay with you for 7-14 days, or even more. With the old product this would have been impossible.
Not suitable for those girls who experience rapid nail growth. After all, after three weeks, all that will remain from a fresh manicure is the name.
After every 3 months of wearing shellac, you need at least 1-2 weeks of rest. But this is rather not a with, but an aspect, as for any pigmented nail product.
Let's return to technology again - any misconduct will cause a damaged manicure, which will need a complete adjustment.
To some extent, this can be attributed to monotony. No, the choice is now even wider than on the shelves of conventional products. Just wearing it for 2-3 weeks sometimes gets boring. And frequent removal and coating costs your time and money, as well as reducing the health of the nail plate itself.
By the way, about time. For such a manicure you need more of it, because the precise technology has a number of necessary stages. But you can do it not every 2-3 days, but after 2-3 weeks.

Judging by these criteria, I still beat any advantages. But all this is just the tip of the iceberg.

The benefits of gel polish still outweigh the benefits

Even simple nail polish is not recommended for daily use. It is very easy to guess that constantly wearing a chemical covering has its negative consequences. The reason for this is the limited amount of oxygen that reaches the nail plate. Also, due to prolonged use of shellac, the function of the upper protective layer is impaired. If you don't give your nails a break, you may encounter the following troubles:

delamination as a result of frequent cutting of the top layer;
and this will lead to fragility;
depletion of the nail itself;
that will express itself through dullness;
and even yellowing;
cracks may appear;
and even possible curvature of the nail plate.

Constantly wearing it can negatively affect the health of your nails.

Due to the fact that nails grow quite quickly, it is necessary to adjust the manicure at least 2 times a month. Therefore, we invite you to get to know the “helpers” of gel polish better.

Nail polish removal technique and possible consequences

Don’t be alarmed, this does not mean that the procedure is contraindicated for everyone or will cause any negative nuances. We are talking specifically about poor-quality or even incorrect cutting and removal of the varnish itself.
If you diligently remove gel polish (and it doesn’t matter whether this is done with a Fraser or other tools), you can damage the protective film of the nail. Then the manicure will not only be untidy, but will entail all the above-mentioned negative aspects.
If, when peeling off the varnish, you decide to pull off this piece, then be prepared that with it you will tear off part of the upper scales of your own nail.
When scraping with sharp objects, you can scratch the top layer, thereby causing peeling of entire nail plates.
And a few words about preliminary removal of the top layer of the nail. Sometimes incompetent nail technicians clean the nail too much. This also damages the protective layer and spoils the nails themselves.
Also, special attention concerns the files themselves. We strongly recommend that for natural nails you choose files no more than 240 grit. And then, this is to adjust the form itself. A hard file will cause delamination.
But for polishing you need to take buffs with a hardness of no higher than 900 grit, or even better – 400.

Incorrect removal or excessive cutting will negatively affect the condition of the nail plate.
What about the UV lamp?

Of course, an ultraviolet lamp cannot be called sinless. But it is worth recalling that other technologies also “reward” us with radioactive or ultraviolet radiation. But we use them.
Moreover, contact with such rays does not last long enough to cause the formation of cancer cells in the body. You wouldn't expose yourself to a lamp every day. And once a month will not bring negative consequences. By the way, LED lamps are less dangerous and dry the varnish in 10-30 seconds. Therefore, they further reduce the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation.
But it is still worth considering some recommendations so as not to put yourself at risk from a UV lamp: it is not recommended to dry it for ladies who have a large number of moles on their hands. It is also contraindicated for all those who have at least some wounds or even mosquito bites;
To use a UV lamp, the master must have the appropriate certificates and certificates with a mandatory note of the characteristics of the equipment;
It is believed that those lamps that come with the lowest indicator are less dangerous. But then the “baking” time of the varnish increases. Therefore, in the end there is no difference.

It is advisable to apply a protective cream before drying in a lamp.
Manicure and pedicure experts share some recommendations that significantly reduce the possible harmful effects of shellac. And not only on the surface of the nails and skin, but also on the entire state of the body.

It is prohibited to use varnish with a gel base for those who have cracks, fungus or any damage to the nail plate. It is also not recommended to apply gel polish to those whose nails are very flaking.
You should take a course of medicinal or vitamin preparations if your nails have a dull and faded appearance.
It is advisable to enrich the cuticle with nourishing oils, because they contain quite a lot of twisted components. And this helps nourish the nail itself.
It is necessary to systematically cover your nails with a colorless nourishing varnish, which can be purchased at any pharmacy or specialty store. Mum, take a break from gel polish every six months.
To ensure that wonderful and well-groomed nails are always neat and elegant, you should choose only a professional and certified nail technician. If you are practicing or planning to apply the gel yourself, then study each step.
If you use dark colors, apply a thicker layer of base. This will prevent the plate from staining.
Do not remove polish with acetone. Prolonged contact has a detrimental effect on nails.
Be sure to pay due attention to the varnishes themselves. They must be of high quality and not have the harmful additives that we wrote about above.

Once every six months, take a break and apply colorless varnish.
We also offer you a list of harmless gel polishes

The well-known brand Kodi contains natural oils that have a beneficial effect on our nails. But this company is loved by users for its rubber base, which allows air to pass through and allows them to breathe.
Ibd varnishes also feature natural ingredients and a complete absence of harmful additives. Moreover, the opaque bottle also protects the contents from ultraviolet rays. Just keep in mind that this all concerns the original, and not the Chinese analogue.
The Entily brand has already firmly established itself as a durable coating that reliably protects against chips. Moreover, it contains olive and argan oils. And they even additionally nourish the nails. By the way, some varnishes from this company also include natural mica, which more saturates the color and adds a pearlescent touch.
Irisk varnishes are considered a hypoallergenic product. They do not contain harmful additives. But there are various oils for nourishing the nail, which even help with delamination. By the way, these varnishes also stand out for their quick-drying properties.
Gels from InGarden can be safely used even for problematic nails that flake or often break. After all, natural resins, silicones and nutritional components will help take care of your nails.
And it is worth highlighting the Axxium OPI brand, which contains natural substances. But most of all I liked it because there was no need to cut off the top layer of the plate. And this is another plus for strengthening nails.

Choose only a trusted company

Varnish composition

Women began to apply coloring compositions, mainly based on various resins, on their nails in ancient times. Representatives of the aristocracy most often did this; the common class could not afford such luxury. Mineral paints, henna, resin with various dyes, even gilding and silver - women have tried a lot of compositions to color their nails.

contains formaldehyde

The first clear resin varnish was invented in ancient China. It hardened instantly, there was no solvent in it and it could only be removed with the nails. But it was the presence of such varnish on her hands that showed that the woman belonged to the wealthy class.

The first manicure varnish of our time can be considered the varnish that Max Factor released in 1927, but this varnish contained acetone, also not a very useful substance for nails. In 1932, they began to produce colored varnishes, which were similar in composition to modern ones. Acetone, of course, was also present in them, but formaldehyde was already added to the composition as a preservative.

Since that time, the composition of nail polish has changed, but the base has remained approximately the same, and includes four main groups of ingredients, each of which has its own task:

pigments: they are the ones who give the varnish the desired shade or color; they can harm the nails;
plasticizers: a mixture of chemical compounds and substances responsible for the strength of the varnish and its plasticity when applied to the nail;
solvents: most often alcohol compounds that prevent the varnish from drying instantly and help distribute it evenly over the entire surface of the nail;
polymers: compounds that allow the painted surface of the nail to maintain shine and strength; it is in this group that formaldehyde compounds are found.

In addition, formaldehyde compounds are found in nail polish that stimulates rapid growth, and it is, in fact, a very effective growth stimulant. But in these products, in their chemical composition, there is much more formaldehyde than in ordinary varnish, which means that the harm to the human body from the composition of these products will be somewhat more significant.

Is it possible to do shellac while pregnant?

Working with gel polish is the task of a professional nail technician. In the cabin, the durable coating is removed mechanically or chemically. To remove gel polish, use files with fine abrasive or special solvents.

Masters, answering the question of how often you can do gel coating, say that you need to periodically give your nails a rest.

It is not prohibited to apply gel polish to your nails during pregnancy. To protect yourself and your unborn baby, you need to listen to the advice of experts. If the recommendations are followed, the procedure will not cause any harm, but the following is required:

Before coating, apply nourishing cream to your hands;
make sure there is access to fresh air in the cabin;
the manicure chair should be as comfortable as possible;
Use only high-quality gel polish. A product that is dangerous to use can be identified by an unpleasant aroma and a bottle that does not have a label. The bottle must be numbered. If there is no license plate at the bottom of the bottle, it is better to refuse the procedure;
do not get manicures from specialists who receive clients at home. You may have to deal with improper handling of instruments.

The interesting position of a woman becomes the reason for increased sensitivity to most external influences that have at least some impact not only on themselves, but also on the growing baby.

Of course, pregnant women cannot be refused and, if they wish, the use of shellac is allowed. But this must be done taking into account all, even minor rules, as well as with special caution and literacy.
Before the procedure itself, you need to apply a high-quality sunscreen to your hands, with an optimal SPF level of 30. It will significantly reduce the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation.
In no case should there be any toxic components in the composition of the varnishes used. All bottles must have the inscription “5 free”.
It is better to alternate gel-based varnishes with simple enamels. But, ideally, it would be good to just leave your nails to rest.
The process itself must be carried out in the fresh air, or in a well-ventilated room. This will significantly reduce the entry of harmful vapors into the body of a pregnant woman.
In general, in this position you do not need to constantly wear a gel or even a regular coating. Of course, all women at any age and position want to look attractive and well-groomed. But due to hormonal changes, the nail plates already become dull and brittle, and you will also overload them with chemicals.
Yes, sometimes this will help, on the contrary, to make your nails stronger while wearing the polish. But our advice is to use strengthening products to maintain your nails.

During pregnancy, it is better to avoid using gel polish.

Composition studies

Until recently, consumers and manufacturers did not think at all about how the composition of nail polish affects human health, positively or negatively. Scientific medical research and laboratory tests began to be carried out relatively recently - at the beginning of the second half of the last century. Tests conducted with formaldehyde have shown that it is a fairly toxic substance that is absorbed into the body and negatively affects the nervous and immune systems, in particular, it can cause serious allergic reactions. In fairness, it must be said that the experiments were carried out on mice and rabbits. The main danger of formaldehyde directly in nail polish is the destruction and weakening of the nail plate.

Of course, the concentration of formaldehyde in high-quality varnish is quite insignificant, and conscientious manufacturers carefully control the composition of varnishes and other nail products, but the question of whether even the slightest presence of this substance in cosmetic products is harmful and dangerous is still open and has both supporters and and opponents of its use. But it is believed that formaldehyde is the main argument in explaining why any nail polish is harmful.

Possible problems during coating application

Most manicurists use one maximum power lamp to save on equipment. In fact, the drying time and the length of UVB and UVA waves depend on the components and must be selected individually. Gel polish sets strongly, so you have to use cutters to cut off the top layer of the nail plate with the coating.

Drying under strong radiation is no less dangerous:

the plate dries out a lot;
delamination begins;
nails may move away from the bed.

After regular use of aggressive gel polish application techniques, the structure of the nail plate is disrupted. Fungi and bacteria accumulate in microcracks, the infection affects the cuticle skin, inflammation and suppuration begin.