The Ultimate Guide to Nail Allergies

Picture this: you just finished your nail art design and it looked stunning. You have poured your heart and soul into creating a masterpiece, and it took you weeks or months of practice. You can't wait to show it off to the world! 

But something unexpected happens: your fingers start to feel really itchy, blisters are forming around the skin, and redness in your eyes or other parts of your body intensifies. Oh, no! You just developed a nail polish allergy. 

Having nail allergies is a complete nightmare for every nail art enthusiast since it could mean saying goodbye to some of your favorite iGel Beauty products or stopping from practicing nail art designs. Don't worry! In this blog, we'll help you navigate this nail allergy dilemma and lessen the stress it'll have on you. 

 

What are the common types of Nail Allergies?

If you already have skin diseases like eczema or psoriasis, some nail products could trigger your allergies. When you're already experiencing significant discomfort, remember to consult a doctor, whether an allergist or a dermatologist, immediately to get proper treatment and diagnosis.

Here are the common nail allergies you can get from using nail products:

· Product overexposure

Overexposure happens when you use nail products regularly, resulting to constant skin contact and incompatibility. Consider checking the ingredients of the products that you always use since there is a possibility that a specific chemical ingredient in your nail polish or acrylic has triggered your allergy. You can read more about overexposure here.

· Contact Dermatitis

One of the most common allergies you should know is Contact Dermatitis. It's when our skin develops an allergic reaction after exposure to a substance. Your fingertips will start to get irritated and you could develop rashes on different parts of your body. This leads to discomfort from the other symptoms of the allergic reaction. Read this article to find out more about contact dermatitis.

· Dip flu

Dip flu is another allergic reaction caused by dip powders or acrylics. This type pr allergy occurs when you have inhaled the powder products and when your skin gets in contact with the powders. You can read our blog about dip flu here.

· Acrylate allergy

Another common allergy that nail techs get using monomers or acrylic powders. Here’s a guide about Acrylate allergy.

 

What are the common ingredients in nail products that often cause Nail Allergy?

· DBT
· Toluene
· Camphor
· Formic Aldehyde
· DBP
· HEMA

Most of these ingredients are allergens usually found in nail products and cosmetics, so we highly recommend contacting iGel Beauty customer service for the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). This sheet will help you know the components of a product you're planning to buy. Remember, prevention is better than cure! You can read this guide about the mentioned nail ingredients above.

 

 

What is the difference between nail allergies and skin irritation?

 

An allergy doesn't happen overnight. Nail allergies typically happen because of constant exposure to certain products’ ingredients. As a result, this causes the skin to become sensitized, leading to an allergic reaction. 

 

On the other hand, skin irritation happens immediately upon contact. For example, applying gel or dip powder onto the skin can cause itchiness and redness, especially if the skin is reactive to certain substances.

Additionally, nail symptoms may vary depending on the individual's condition. Some may use nail products without experiencing any issues, while others may develop cumulative allergies that happen over time due to continuous usage.

To prevent these issues, it is best to stick to one nail product brand as mixing different brands with different chemical ingredients can lead to a possible reaction.

 

 

How to deal with nail allergies?

Experiencing allergies can be terrifying. The best thing you can do is to stay calm while following this step-by-step guide.

 

Step 1: Remove the nail product immediately

 

The first thing you have to do is remove the nail product as soon as possible to prevent the allergic reaction from worsening. You can wash your hands with antibacterial soap and remove the nail art design you're wearing, whether gel or acrylic. Remove them just like you would on a client. You can read our guides for gel polish and acrylic nails to learn how to remove them.

 

Step 2: Apply the doctor’s prescribed steroid creams or drink antibiotics

 

Once you have removed the nail art or nail products that have touched your skin, you can book an appointment with your doctor to get proper treatment and diagnosis. One of the creams that is commonly used in the nail community is called Cortizone, but we highly recommend you seek a professional's opinion before treating your allergies. 

If you had experienced allergies before because of gel or acrylic nails, then you likely already know what to do. You can go ahead and use your prescribed treatments. Some would soak their fingers in a tub of ice-cold water to soothe the irritated skin and ease the symptoms.

 

Step 3: Know the culprit

 

You need to know what causes your allergy since it can help you avoid your triggers in the future. Was it gel? Acrylic? Dip powders? Latex gloves? There are many reasons why a person develops an allergic reaction. 

You can minimize the harsh effects you're already experiencing by backtracking the last nail product you applied before you had an allergy and by consulting with a doctor. 

 

Step 4: Stop wearing certain nail products or pause practicing nail art

 

We understand how heartbreaking it can be to have nail allergies and temporarily stopping from wearing or working with nail products. But keep it mind that it's for the best because any allergic reaction will just make it harder for you to use your fingers or hands in general. Always follow the doctor's orders to ensure a speedy recovery from nail allergies!

 

Step 5: Wait for your recovery

 

Give your nails a break as you wait for your fingers to heal from the blisters, painful rash, and itchiness. It could sound like a terrible news for your nail journey.

True clients will understand and surely want to see you fully recovered. If your nail allergy is not that bad or has recovered quickly, you can apply preventive measures and get back to work.

 

How to avoid nail allergy?

· Always use hand gloves whenever you're doing your nails or a client's. However, figure out if you're not allergic to latex gloves when doing so.

· Keep your cuticles moisturized If you're a client, always inform your nail tech of any allergies so they can prepare in advance what products they should use on you.

· Always wash your hands and practice proper nail care or nail salon sanitation

· Use nail products that you're only familiar with, or switch to allergen-free products

· Don't let the nail products touch your skin

· Practice your nail art designs using a nail training hand. You can read our blog about nail training hand here.

· Before buying, always ask our customer service for the MSDS, and always check the label of the nail products you're buying.

· Clean your nail tools before and after using them. You can read our "How to clean nail art tools" here.

· You can switch to other nail methods; if you're allergic to acrylic, you can try gels; if all else fails, the safest one seems to be DIY press-on.

· If you're a client, always go to a licensed or knowledgeable nail tech for your nails

 

Having a nail allergy can be challenging, and nobody wants to go through it. Your dreams of becoming a nail tech and wearing dreamy nail art designs are not yet over! It all boils down to nail care and nail salon sanitation. Our iGel Beauty Facebook community will teach you plenty, and you'll meet other nail professionals. Join the sisterhood!