Does regular nail polish cause cancer?

To create eye-catching colored nail polish, manufacturers use many different chemical ingredients that can wear down and damage nails.

A typical nail polish is composed of a coloring agent and a liquid solution for polishing, mainly including acetone, ethyl acetate, dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde.

Among the harmful substances found in nail polish, the three most dangerous are dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde and toluene, which have serious impacts on the health of nail salon workers and workers.

Nail polish contains many substances that are harmful to health.

In addition, during the nail cutting process, many nail technicians have the habit of cutting close to the skin of the nail, thereby exposing the flesh at the tip of the nail. This will cause the hard protective layer of the skin to be lost, making the exposed flesh susceptible to infection.

Regular nail polish application can cause the following harmful effects:

Gold nails

The composition of a bottle of nail polish also includes mineral pigments and synthetic color powders. These pigments, when exposed to the nails for a long time, will turn the nails yellow or darken, instead of the normal ivory white color.

Nail fungus

This condition is caused by candida or trychophyton fungi. This is the most common problem when you regularly paint your nails. When you have nail fungus, white spots will appear on your nails near the base of the nail. If left untreated, it will become inflamed and swollen. If not detected early, you can easily get infected through nail tools when shared with others.

Frequent manicures can damage nails, making them brittle and prone to breakage.

Thin, weak nails

When you get your nails done, your nails are often worn down. In addition, nail polish contains formaldehyde. Formaldehyde in gel polish is the culprit that causes nails to become damaged, brittle and break easily.

Harmful to heart, liver, lungs

Long-term exposure to chemicals in nail polish will affect the heart, liver, and lungs. Benzene in nail polish remover is also absorbed very quickly when entering the lungs, then into the liver, spinal cord, fat cells, affecting substances in the bone marrow, hindering blood formation. Then attaching to proteins, DNA, hindering growth, regeneration, and causing cell mutations.

Long-term exposure to chemicals in nail polish can affect the heart, liver, and lungs.

Cancer risk

According to experts, formaldehyde in nail polish is a carcinogen. If people inhale it regularly, they can suffer from respiratory failure, lung cancer, leukemia, throat cancer, etc.

Cheap nail polish products not only contain some heavy metals but also contain Sudan. This is a highly toxic chemical. If used regularly, this toxin will accumulate in the body gradually causing a high risk of cancer.

Besides, it also contains toluene, a toxic substance that affects the immune and reproductive systems and is related to the formation and development of blood cancers such as malignant lymphoma.

Frequent exposure to nail polish increases the risk of cancer.

Effects on the nervous system

Nail polish contains triphenyllyphosphate which can affect the brain because it acts as a neurotoxin. In addition, toluene in nail polish when evaporated in the air will irritate the nerves, eyes, throat and lungs. You will feel nauseous, have burning eyes, and feel “drunk”.

Effects on the fetus

If pregnant women are exposed to nail polish regularly, it will affect the fetus. Because absorbing toluene for a long time can cause miscarriage or birth defects. Toluene is a substance found in gasoline used in nail polish to help nails shine, while still keeping the color of the polish for a long time.