Health

Can dust from filing acrylics can cause serious damage to the nostrils, lungs, kidneys, and liver?

September 01, 1997 | Bookmark +

We have heard that dust from filing acrylics can cause serious damage to the nostrils, lungs, kidneys, and liver. Is this true? If so, what precautions can we take?

Answer

Acrylic dusts are not particularly hazardous. However, no dusts are good to breathe in large amounts for prolonged periods – even house dusts. It is very doubtful that serious damage will occur to nostrils, kidneys or liver, but over time the lungs may be affected in some people. Even so, to put things in proper perspective, smoking cigarettes is many hundreds of times more likely to damage the lungs than breathing dusts in the salon. Still, it is recommended that nail technicians wear a dust mask while filing, especially if you use a drill. Drills produce large amounts of very tiny dust particles. It is the tiniest, invisible particles that create most of the risks. Dust masks provide inexpensive and extremely effective protection against even the smallest particles. However, they are completely ineffective against vapors and will not replace proper ventilation. – Doug Schoon

The nail technician should always wear a disposable respirator mask. At the very least, she should use disposable dust/mist respirators. – Sunil Sirdesai

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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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