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Your gel nails could be causing itchy and painful skin condition, dermatologist warns
When your skin gets itchy, dry or painful, the food you’ve eaten or the weather are often to blame, but there could be another cause.
Do you get gel nails? Well, a dermatologist has warned that the beauty procedure could be giving you a painful skin condition called dermatitis.
Your gel nails could be causing dermatitis
We spoke to Dr. Hannah Kopelman, who told The Focus: “Gel nails can indeed cause dermatitis, and it usually comes down to the chemicals involved in the gel polish and the curing process.”
Gel polishes contain chemical compounds called acrylates, which are added to help them cure faster, reducing the time you have to hold your nails under the lamp – but they are known to cause allergic reactions in some people.
“If the gel isnt fully cured under the UV light, uncured molecules can come into contact with the skin and trigger allergic contact dermatitis, leading to redness, swelling, itching, or even blistering around the nails and surrounding skin,” the dermatologist continued.
However, acrylates aren’t the only issue. The primers or bonding agents that nail technicians use to help the gel adhere to the nail bed can cause dermatitis too as they contain methacrylates, substances that can penetrate the skin and cause irritation or an allergic reaction.
What are the symptoms of dermatitis?
Dermatitis is the general name for any type of skin inflammation, characterized by itchiness, redness and a rash, Mayo Clinic explains. The skin can also blister, ooze, crust or flake.
Usually, it’s caused by something that irritates your skin and triggers an allergic reaction, like a perfume, makeup product or jewelry that contains nickel.
When the skin condition is triggered by a substance, it’s known as contact dermatitis, which usually clears up if the substance is identified and avoided.
However, dermatitis can also occur due to many other reasons including dry skin, an infection, bacteria, stress, genetics and problems with the immune system.
It can appear anywhere on the body including the face, back, feet, arms or legs and can occur at any age.
When you should stop getting gel nails
Kopelman says anyone experiencing the symptoms of dermatitis should stop using gel nails and get a patch test to identify the allergen.
You might find that acrylates or methacrylates are not causing the skin condition, in which case you can continue getting gel nails as normal. However, as these two substances often produce allergic reactions, especially in those with sensitive skin, it could be a possibility.
It’s also important to ensure that the curing process is done properly and consider using LED lamps, which might be a safer alternative to UV lights. If you want to continue getting your nails done, switching to hypoallergenic gel polishes can minimize the risk of dermatitis.
Dr. Hannah Kopelman is a dermatologist who has completed two clinical dermatology fellowships in hair loss from Columbia University and skin cancer from Boston University. She shares her expertise on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, and has a weekly dermatology podcast called Derm Club.
