Nail Polish and its Effects on Your Health

Looking at ingredients is common practice when choosing foods at the grocery store. We do it to make better, healthier choices in our lives to keep our bodies safe. But what about nail polish? Should we be looking at the ingredients of that, too? The answer is yes, because what you might not know is that nail polish can have serious effects on your health.

Some nail polish brands, even some that claim to be toxin-free, contain a compound known as diphenyl phosphate (DPHP) which, when it comes into contact with your body, can seep into your skin. Once inside, your body metabolizes it into the chemical triphenyl phosphate (TPP), and scientists hypothesize that this chemical can interfere with the body’s natural hormones.

A report which tested various nail polish brands found them to contain the toxin called toluene which could be linked to birth defects and developmental setbacks to the babies of mothers who were exposed to the chemical for long periods of time during pregnancy.

However, despite these facts, there hasn’t been much evidence to prove what short term effects these chemicals have on the body. Therefore, an occasional mani-pedi should not put you at any risk, but pregnant women should take extra caution and perhaps skip the spa day altogether to avoid unnecessary birth complications. Spa technicians should be wary as well as they are exposed to these chemicals for long periods of time.

A good alternative to keep your nails looking beautiful and healthier is to use nail strengthener. Plei Nail Strengthener is formaldehyde free and can reverse any damage done to your nails done by chemicals, wear and tear, and artificial nails.