Your manicure may be causing you harm
This article was originally written as an assignment for my media writing class
You may have seen on TikTok and Instagram that people have been having allergic reactions after using Beetles Gel Polish, but is that true?
via Tik Tok: Alexandria Robles/@snailcitychick
Alexandria Robles had a reaction after using Beetles Gel Polish, Beetles Gel Polish is a popular gel polish brand sold on Amazon. Gel polish has to be cured under a UV or LED light to dry. Robles went to TikTok to share her experience. Robles posted a slide show of pictures that showed the progression of her gel allergy, which went viral and got over 250,000 views.
Robles said she did her research before purchasing gel products but wishes that she had done more research and invested more money on products.
Robles started doing her nails using the Gel-X method, a method which involves using gel nail glue to apply a full cover nail extension to the natural nail bed. Robles said that she experienced a reaction a month after using Beetles products.
“Around my cuticles got really bumpy and red. Then they started blistering and it was really gross, there was pus coming out of my fingers,” Robles said.
Robles said that she developed an allergy to HEMA- 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate- an ingredient that is commonly found in gel polish.
According to researchers at Amsterdam University Medical Centers, 67 women were diagnosed with allergic contact dermatitis from nail cosmetics over a period of 8.5 years. Of the 67 women, 49 were consumers and 18 were professional nail technicians. The products used by the patients were acrylic powder, gel nail polish, gel nails and poly-gel.
Of the 67 participants, 65 of them texted positive to a HEMA allergy in a patch test reaction.
Paige Watkins, a licensed cosmetologist, believes that people might be experiencing reactions because of the product combined with improper use. Watkins said people who aren’t trained on how to use gel polish may not know how to use these products safely.
“They can get it on the skin and the cuticles. With repeated behavior, that will definitely create a reaction, like contact dermatitis,” Watkins said.
Maddison Black, an actor who uses Beetles Gel Polish to do her own nails, said she’s experienced some irritation when using Beetles Gel Polish but hasn’t developed contact dermatitis or a gel allergy.
Black said she would experience irritation and redness when she would get the product on her skin and not clean it up.
“I kind of learned, the more I did it, the better I got,” Black said.
Robles said she did was careful when using the products and made sure to clean up any polish that got on her skin before she cured the polish.
via Tik Tok: Alexandria Robles/@snailcitychick
“A lot of licensed cosmetologists were in my comments saying it was user error…I always would clean up the polish and everything. I would never leave uncured or cured gel on my skin,” Robles said.
She can’t use any products that contain HEMA, which is in a majority of nail products and its been harder to get her nails done after developing an allergy.
“I can’t go to the nail shops or get my nails done by a nail tech anymore,” Robles said, “I have to spend so much more money on nail products that are HEMA free now.”
Multiple attempts have been made to contact Beetles Gel Polish for comment. The company has not yet responded.
