I’ve been having my nails dipped on and off for years without problems. Other than my nails being thin from having dip for so long. A year ago I jammed my ring finger and my nail separated from the nail bed. I quit dipping that one nail and cut it back (like I did again in the above picture) it was getting better, it grew back normally and then I started having it dipped again. As you can see I’m back to where I started with that nail and it’s now showing up on most of my other nails (that I didn’t jam) on my left hand only. I should also mention the ring finger not only separated but developed an abscess underneath, both times. I decided to remove the product and I’m going to try healing my nails. I thought I would be sad to have damaged nails exposed. But I’m actually just kinda relieved that I can start with some of the products I’ve seen suggested here. I’m definitely staying away from the dip and trying to learn how to care for my own natural nails.
by Background_Path_5245
1 Comment
It’s entirely possible you developed an acrylate allergy to the specific acrylate monomer used in your dip system.
All acrylates are immunotoxic sensitizers, and the liquid monomer acrylates used in all dip, acrylic, and gel are especially easy for the body to absorb. With dip systems, these are usually in your activator and/or base and top coats.
Exposure to acrylates is cumulative, so the more your body absorbs, the more your immune system will react over time. This is why many people may go years without symptoms of an allergy and then suddenly seem to develop one. It also means that once an allergy/sensitivity is symptomatic, it will continue to worsen with repeat exposure.
A lot of people (like me) never get the classic contact dermatitis symptoms like itchy bumps, redness, or peeling skin. For many folks, it can start as just onycholysis (separation of the nail plate from the nail bed), or a dull ache in the nail bed.
I would avoid all liquid monomer acrylates for at least 6+ months, so no gel, acrylics, dip, or nail glues. Personally I quit them for good, but if you want to try again, you can have an allergy panel done to identify which specific acrylates you’re already sensitized/allergic to now.
FYI though, acrylates are in a ton of other products like dental fillings, contact lenses, medical implants, most adhesives, and much more, so there’s a lot more at risk than just nail products.
Air-dry polish is usually safe, even if it contains “acrylates copolymers” as those are larger molecules much harder for the body to absorb, and they’re already in a non-toxic polymerized state (unlike the monomers), but I’m not a doctor or chemist so ymmv haha.
Give them lots and lots of jojoba oil and time and they should grow back normally 🫶