6 Ways Self-Love Will Help You Crush Your Goals
From breaking free of external validation to creating joy-based goals, discover a more sustainable and fulfilling path to success.
Patch Test Pinpoint Causes Of Allergies
When a client exhibits redness, small blisters, swelling, separation of the nail plate from the nail bed, or tenderness of the nail bed and nail folds, this usually indicates contact dermatitis, a skin allergy to a product or ingredient.
by Jeffrey Lauber, M.D.
March 1, 1993
Our guest columnist this month is Jeffrey Lauber, M.D., a practicing dermatologist and medical director of the Advanced Skin Treatment Center of Orange County in Newport Beach, Calif.
3 min to read
Our guest columnist this month is Jeffrey Lauber, M.D., a practicing dermatologist and medical director of the Advanced Skin Treatment Center of Orange County in Newport Beach, Calif.
When a client exhibits redness, small blisters, swelling, separation of the nail plate from the nail bed, or tenderness of the nail bed and nail folds, this usually indicates contact dermatitis, a skin allergy to a product or ingredient. Contact dermatitis can be caused by nail products, but determining just which products have caused the reaction can be a challenge. For example, if a client exhibiting symptoms of contact dermatitis is wearing tips with acrylic overlay, she could be allergic to the nail glue, the acrylic liquid or the polish.
To determine exactly what product the client is allergic to, you can perform a “use test,” which is a simplified version of the patch test routinely performed by dermatologists. First, obtain all the products used on or around the client’s nail. This includes any products the client uses at home as well as those you use on her salon. Put a dab of product on a plastic bandage (use a separate bandage for each product) and allow it to air dry for 10 minutes. Then place the bandage on the inside of the arm, above the elbow, for 48 hours. If you test more than one product, keep a log of what products were tested and where the bandage was placed. If redness, blisters, or itching occurs under the bandage, you know the client is allergic to that brand of polish or glue.
A use test can help you narrow down the list of ingredients causing the reaction, but don’t assume that because a client is allergic to a particular brand of glue that she is allergic to all glues. To determine exactly what ingredient is causing the reaction, the client must see a dermatologist, who will perform a patch test. A patch test contains several hundred chemical compounds to determine the exact chemical identity of the allergen.
If the client’s dermatologist performs a patch test, make sure she gets the various product names under which the sensitizing agent is sold, methods of avoiding clinical exposure to the agent, and names of non-sensitizing substitutes. With this information, you can set about finding a suitable replacement.
For clients who want to keep their artificial nails, use replacement products that have been suggested by the client’s doctor. Keep in mind, though, that you can’t expect a dermatologist to be familiar with all the products available to the professional nail industry. You can ask your beauty products distributor for names of products he carries that don’t contain that ingredient, or you can call manufacturers directly and see if they offer alternatives. They should be happy to help you find a product that will work.
Once you’ve found a suitable replacement, apply the product to just one nail. If your client has no reaction after three or four days, you can probably safely perform the service on the other fingers. If acrylic or nail glue was determined to be the problem, it is important that the complete service be done on the test nail prior to doing all the nails. This is especially true if new or different adhesive substances are being tested.
Don’t fret if nail polish or nail treatments are found to be the problem. Polish is only an allergen in its wet state, so if adequate precautions are taken to dry the polish before it contacts the skin, there is no risk of causing contact dermatitis.
Use tests are safe and your practice of performing them ensures that clients are not exposed to products that will cause them an unpleasant or unhealthful reaction. The greater hazard is not patch testing clients who have allergy problems. Your failure to perform these quick and easy tests dooms some patients to repeated attacks of avoidable contact dermatitis.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Wellness
The Invisible Hazard in Every Nail Salon and How to Fight It
From acrylic monomers to airborne bio-dust, the air inside a nail salon carries risks most professionals never see coming. Aerovex Systems reveals the source-capture and room-purification strategies that are setting a new standard for salon safety.
Sponsored by Aerovex Systems
Nail Safety Council Warns Holiday Shoppers About Toxic 'Magic' Gel Polish Removers
Products marketed as 'magic' or 'burst' gel removers may contain methylene chloride, a federally banned, highly toxic chemical.
How Beauty Pros Can Prevent Pain: Somatic Movement for Career Longevity
Working in beauty doesn’t have to hurt. Learn how Somatic Movement helps hairstylists, lash artists, and other beauty pros release tension, improve posture, and extend their careers.
Spa Day, Safe Day: Stop Fungal Infections in Their Tracks
As a spa or salon professional, your clients expect more than just beauty—they expect safety, hygiene, and peace of mind. Fungal infections like Athlete’s Foot and Nail Fungus are more common than you think, especially in environments where tools and footbaths are reused without proper sanitation. This blog covers how to stop these issues before they start, using proven infection prevention strategies for salons and spas.
Federal Research on Nail Salon Safety Concludes Due to Budget Reductions
A federal initiative aimed at studying chemical exposure in nail salons has ended due to staffing and budget changes. Here’s what the project set out to do—and what its conclusion means for salon professionals.
by Anne Moratto
Opinion: What You Need to Know About Pedicure Safety
For many people, a pedicure is a relaxing beauty ritual. But what most don’t realize is that this simple service, if done without proper hygiene and sanitation, can cause serious infections and long-term health issues.
Onycholysis: What Nail Pros Should Know About Nail Separation
Onycholysis is the separation of the nail plate from the nail bed. While it may look painful, it typically isn’t—at least not at first. But without proper care, this common nail disorder can lead to infections, deformities, and long-term damage.
What to Say--or Not Say--to Someone Grieving
Mckenzie Kool, Psychologist, MC, RPsych provides us with guidance on what may or not be helpful in speaking with someone who has suffered a significant loss.
Protecting Your Clients From Viral Infections
Clients come to you to feel their best—not leave with a viral souvenir. Warts and cold sores can spread fast in busy salons, but a few smart habits make all the difference. Let’s talk about what’s really lurking in your salon (and how to kick it to the curb).
Beauty Professionals, It's Time to Take the Green Pledge
As Earth Day approaches, The Green Beauty Community Foundation and the Green Spa Network invite beauty pros to step forward and embrace sustainability through the Green Pledge--a powerful initiative designed by and for beauty industry leaders.
How Not to Be Cynical About Valentine's Day
Don’t cancel Valentine’s Day altogether, urges Jill Palmquist. Instead, think of it as a (frilly, flowery, Champagne-bubbly) wake-up call to fall deeply in love with your own life.
Temporary Burnout or Time to Hang Up the Shears?
Life coach and Culture Ambassador of Sam Villa, Andrew Carruthers, outlines how to tell if your burnout is temporary - or if it's time to make a bigger career change.
Nail Care and Cancer Treatment: 6 Tips for a Safe Nail Service
Cancer treatment can create very specific challenges for your guest when it comes to hair, skin, and also nails. Here are some tips for working with your salon client who is going through cancer treatment to help you provide a relaxing, enjoyable, and also safe experience.
Sun Patch Protects Hands from Sun Damage
For those clients concerned about exposure from UV lamps, the Sun Patch might be a solution. Sun Patches are waterproof, reusable (up to 10 wears) block 98% of UVA/UVB rays, and maintain their UPF 50+ rating all day long.
by Anne Moratto
The Nail Doctor: Onycholysis, or Nail Separation, Has Different Varieties
One of the most common conditions that affects the nail is onycholysis, which is the separation of the nail plate from the nail bed. Onycholysis occurs as a result of or along with a great variety of nail traumas and disorders. Probably the most common cause of onycholysis is a fungal infection of the nail.
Standing Stretches for Physical Longevity
Hairdressing is a physically taxing career integrating simple stretches into your daily routine can reduce the strain repetitive motion puts on your body, help you stay flexible and strong and eventually prolong your career.