Health

Is there a way to test nail monomer for MMA?

March 14, 2013 | Bookmark +

Is there a way to test nail monomer for MMA?

Answer

It is not possible to test an artificial nail monomer liquid to determine if it contains significant amounts of methyl methacrylate (MMA), unless the testing is conducted in a properly equipped analytical testing laboratory. Typically such laboratories will charge up to $200 for each sample that is tested and the testing process can take up to 10 days to get the final results. Only the monomer liquid can be tested and not a finished artificial nail, since artificial nail powders often contain a safe, polymerized version of this monomer called polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), which would be misidentified as MMA monomer. There is no quick test that can conclusively identify MMA monomer other than by smell. MMA-based nail products typically contain 80% or more MMA monomer and therefore usually have a strongly distinctive and highly characteristic MMA odor that is easily recognized by those trained to detect such odor. Laboratory testing is used as a confirmation or to determine the exact concentration of MMA.

— Doug Schoon is chief scientific advisor for CND.

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What’s the cause of the pinkish-red oval area on the pad of my client’s toes?

I have a client who has a recurring problem with her fourth toes during the winter months. Both of her “ring finger” toes develop a pinkish-red oval area on the pad. Then a month later, when I see her again, the skin has become dry and hard like a callus, with the layers of skin peeling away to reveal a deeper, dark epicenter.  It’s extremely painful for her and, needless to say, we do not touch it. But it clears up in the summer when she’s wearing open-toed sandals, so I suspect it has to be due to the boots she wears in the winter. Plus she never puts lotion on her feet or uses a foot file in between visits. What do you think causes this?

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What are the big white spots on my natural-nail client’s nails?

I have a client who has been with me for about two years. She used to wear acrylic nails but has been a natural nail client for eight months or so. She has these white spots on her nails — big spots that are dry, but not flaky, right in the middle of the nail. I did try to buff them lightly but they do not come off or grow off. I had a new client come in last week who had the same on her toenails. She said it started after she had a pedicure done at another salon. Can you help?

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