Cosmetics: Nail Review by Nelson Lee Novick, M.D.

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Cosmetics: Nail

NAIL COSMETICS

by Nelson Lee Novick, MD, FAAD, FAACS

Generally speaking, great care and expertise go into the manufacture of nail cosmetics. It is remarkable that manufacturers have been able to formulate products that are basically uniform in color and consistency, easy to apply, quick drying, water resistant, and relatively resistant to chipping. Nail cosmetics didn’t really exist before the 1920s, except for ordinary paints and shellacs. Today there is an almost staggering array of nail- care cosmetics, including nail polishes, base coats, top coats, nail polish removers, nail hardeners, nail conditioners, nail menders, and artificial nails.

Nail-care cosmetics are estimated to account for less than 10 percent of reactions to all cosmetics. Considering the overwhelming numbers of people who use these products every day, it is truly remarkable that so few untoward reactions occur. Nevertheless, they can and do occasionally occur.

NAIL POLISHES

Polishes, or nail enamels as they are also called, are intended to add color to your nails and protect them. The active ingredients in nail polish include nitrocellulose, pigments, resins, and plasticizers As a rule, to permit better adherence of polish to your nails, nail enamels do not contain oil or wax moisturizing bases.

Derived from plant cellulose, nitrocellulose is the main film- forming, waterproof, varnish like ingredient in nail polish. It imparts toughness and durability. Some nail polishes also contain nylon fibers for thickening and strengthening nails. Pigments (colors) and sometimes pearlizers (shimmer producers) are added to give the polish its final color and shade. Resins improve its adhesion and gloss. Finally, plasticizers add gloss and make polish less brittle when dry.

When putting on nail polish, take care to apply it evenly to the nail plate and avoid inadvertently spreading it onto your cuticles or the surrounding nail folds.
The continued use of some very darkly colored nail enamels, particularly dark reds or browns, can occasionally lead to deep discolorations of your natural nails. Some of the pigments in these enamels tend to leak out of the nail varnish and penetrate into your nail. Interestingly, the color of the stain often differs from the color of the polish, e.g., a deep red polish may stain the nail yellow. Although this is disconcerting, it represents no permanent nail damage; discolorations generally grow out with the nail.

Nail polishes are occasionally responsible for allergic reactions. Naturally, if you already know that you are allergic to all polishes, you should avoid using them altogether. Instead, you can use a buffing paste and chamois buffer to give your nails a high gloss. However, buff gently to avoid irritation. If you find that you are allergic to a specific nail polish color, switch brands. If after switching brands you are still allergic, switch colors. If you continue to have problems but still wish to use nail polishes, see your dermatologist, who can perform special patch tests to determine which ingredients you are allergic to.

NAIL POLISH REMOVERS

Acetone or acetone derivatives are the active ingredients in nail polish removers, and they are quite effective. However, too frequent use can damage the nail by removing some of the cementing substances that hold the nail plate together. Moreover, acetone is equally capable of degreasing normal skin and can be quite drying and irritating. For that reason, always rinse off your hands thoroughly after using nail polish removers. Finally, when choosing a nail polish remover, look for ones that contain oil or lubricant additives; these ingredients can help to lessen some of acetone’s drying action.

BASE COATS AND TOP COATS

Base coats are essentially clear nail polishes intended to coat the nail before regular nail polish is applied. By providing this type of undercoat, base coats help nail polishes to adhere better. They also help to prevent nail and nail polish chipping.

Top coats, which differ little from base coats, are intended to be applied directly on top of regular nail polish for the purpose of increasing glossiness and preserving the finish.

Unfortunately, in certain sensitive people, both base coats and top coats can be irritating or allergenic. In most cases, I have found that a sufficient rest period from all nail cosmetics usually enables these people to use nail polishes safely again—minus base coats or top coats—without a recurrence of their problem.

NAIL HARDENERS AND BUILDERS

Nail hardeners, which are liquids containing formaldehyde or formaldehyde-releasing ingredients in 5 to 10 percent concentrations, are intended to prevent nail chipping, fraying, and peeling. When applied regularly to your nails, they work.

Unfortunately, formaldehyde and its derivatives are common irritants and allergic sensitizers. These chemicals can cause a variety of nail problems, including excessive dryness and brittleness, discoloration discomfort, separation of the nail from the nail bed, nail loss, and even bleeding under the nail plate. Irritation of the surrounding skin and cuticle may also occur. Unhappily, these reactions may last for weeks or even months before resolving.

Given the number of adverse reactions, it is hardly surprising that the FDA has restricted the sales of nail hardeners. Those available in the United States today are really modified nail polishes in which the amount and quality of the resin have been altered slightly. Even in Europe, where true nail hardeners are still sold, those containing formaldehyde must so state clearly on the product label.

If you choose to use nail hardeners, do so only occasionally. Limit their application to the tips of your nails, There is little sense in subjecting the entire nail plate to the hardener when the tips of your nails are ordinarily the sites most likely to split or fracture. Finally, avoid spreading hardeners onto your cuticles or the surrounding skin where they can be particularly irritating.

Nail builders are protein-containing liquids often advertised as being capable of “nourishing” or “feeding” your nails. As I mentioned earlier, since nails are composed of nonliving protein, there is no way that they can be “nourished” or “fed” from the outside. Nevertheless, the protein in nail builders can serve to fill in any shallow pits or other fine surface irregularities present on your nails. Like a base coat, this allows nail polish to go on more smoothly and adhere better.

ARTIFICIAL NAILS

Three basic types of artificial nail products are currently available, and each is composed of water-impermeable plastics.

Glue-on preformed artificial nail kits frequently contain acrylate adhesives. Allergic reactions to these products are quite common, and acrylates may provoke irritation in the nearby cuticle and surrounding skin. The overuse of glue-on nails can result in brittleness, splitting, fraying, and discoloration of the natural nails.

A second type of artificial nail is a preformed nail with an adhesive backing, which you can simply press on. Because no glues are necessary for binding them to your natural nails, this type of nail generally causes the fewest problems.

Sculptured nails, the third type of artificial nail, are created by a salon technique. A metalized paperboard template is placed around your fingertips, and sculptured nails are formed upon the surface of your natural nails by the application of layers of acrylic polymers. These polymers are then molded (sculpted) to the desired length and thickness. The bonding between the prosthetic and natural nails is permanent. A number of people have experienced severe allergic reactions, infections, and pain with sculptured nails. And, if for any reason the artificial nail must be removed, surgery is usually needed because of the tight bonding between the prosthetic and natural nails.

The prolonged use of any type of artificial nail can cause injury, even permanent damage, to your natural nails. Because they cover your natural nail and do not permit the evaporation of any moisture that accumulates under them, softening and lifting off of the underlying nail may occur, particularly if the artificial nails have been left in place for several days. Artificial nails, most especially sculptured nails, account for a very substantial percentage of adverse reactions to all types of nail cosmetics.

Overall, I advise against the use of all types of artificial nails. However, if you really want to use them, I suggest the press-on nails. But whatever you use, remove all types of artificial nails as soon as possible. They should not be left in place for more than a few days at a time.

Excerpted from Super Skin--A Leading Dermatologist's Guide to the Latest Breakthroughs in Skin Care, by Nelson Lee Novick, M.D.

Purchase Super Skin- A Leading Dermatologist's Guide to the Latest Breakthroughs in Skin Care at Amazon or Barnes & Noble

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