Contents:
Medical Video: acetone nail polish remover pregnancy
Beautifying nails with legal polish is fine for pregnant women. However, exposure to chemicals in nail polish turns out to be dangerous. There are two chemicals to watch out for, namely formalin and toluene.
Formalin
Formalin is used as a hardener in nail polish. Inhaled formalin has the potential to cause irritation to the nose, eyes, throat, and lungs. In more severe cases, a high amount of formalin exposure for a long time risks cancer.
Although it is not good for the body, formaldehyde exposure will not adversely affect the baby in the womb because it quickly breaks down in the body of pregnant women.
In many countries, the use of the amount of formalin in the product is limited to 0.2%. This number is quite small so the risk of formalin exposure is relatively low.
Toluene
Toluene is used to smooth nail polish so that it is easy to apply. Similar to formalin, toluene inhaled has the potential to cause irritation to the nose, eyes, throat, and lungs. In more severe cases, toluene exposure can risk damaging the nervous system and causing birth defects in the womb. This risk arises if pregnant women breathe toluene directly and continuously.
If you work in a nail salon, every day you will automatically be exposed to chemicals contained in the nail polish. If you are worried about your health, discuss with the salon manager about health and safety guarantees at work.
Exposure to formaldehyde and toluene can be reduced by:
- Using nail polish that is free of toluene and formalin
- Use nail polish (which contains formalin and toluene) at most once a week. If you work at a nail salon when you are pregnant, ask your partner to help you repaint the customer's nails.
- For good air circulation, open doors and windows before using nail polish.
- Avoid blowing nails to dry faster. This can actually make you breathe formalin and toluene substances directly.
Nail polish remover used by pregnant women must also be safe. Usually, nail polish remover products contain acetone. Although it can be produced by factories, acetone is also naturally found in the body and the environment.
Although the possibility is relatively small, exposure to large amounts of acetone in a long time can cause birth defects and developmental disorders of the baby. As a preventive measure, you can choose an acetone-free nail polish remover product. In addition to longer drying, this product is more friendly to nails.
After removing nail polish, make sure you always wash your hands with soap and water to remove any remaining chemicals.
