Acrylic nails. Your skin may swell by wearing them. [Photo/ bronzemagonline.com]
Few women would not want to have good-looking, long, and stylish nails on a permanent basis.Since nail polish chips off natural nails within a few days, acrylic nails are all more attractive because in this day of the proverbial ‘slay queen’, any woman worth her salt needs to have her nails done.The chemicalsThink back when you felt a burning sensation in the skin around your fingernails when the manicurist was applying nail primer to your fingernails. The first time the primer is applied, you will feel an irritating sting around your nails and you may have a strong urge to scratch. The skin may swell and you may think of removing the acrylic nails altogether.A nail primer is a liquid that is dabbed at the base of the natural nail– just below the artificial nail– before the powder is applied. It creates small holes on the nail surface that help the powder stick. The chemicals may not be dangerous in themselves but some people are allergic to them. They may react by getting rushes around the nails. If one has a burning or irritating sensation, they should stop using the chemicals.Many primers contain methacrylic acid, which causes irritation around the cuticles. If a lot of primer is applied, the small holes it makes on the nail dig deeper, causing tissue damage. Besides, the active ingredient in the liquid, monomer, used to create the nails from acrylic powder is methyl methacrylate (MMA), which the American Food and Drug Administration deems to be dangerous.Its fumes can cause dizziness, lightheadedness, and a tightness around the chest.