Dangerous Chemicals in Nail Salons: Safety Precautions for Nail Salon Workers Exposed to Toxic Chemicals

Birth defects. Nervous system damage. Cancer. Eye, skin, and throat irritation. Allergies. Asthma. Dermatitis.

What do these potential risk factors have in common? They’re all possible harms that could stem from exposure to dangerous chemicals in nail salons. 

Meanwhile, employment in the nail industry is on the rise. With the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting 12 percent growth from 2023 to 2033, more experts are asking the big questions: 

Why do nail technicians have an elevated risk of chemical exposures? What are the hazardous chemicals found in nail salon products? How can nail techs stay safe?

Why are dangerous chemicals in nail salons still a problem?

Nail artists already face a slew of workplace challenges without factoring in harsh nail chemicals.

There are irate, demanding customers. Many experience aches, pains, and injuries from prolonged stressors and few breaks. And don’t forget your and your clients’ risks of burns, cuts, and infections. 

To someone who doesn’t know better, these other problems might common than dangerous nail salon chemicals. Chemicals are everywhere, right? Doesn’t the United States have protections and warnings in place to prevent exposure to hazardous materials?

Yes—and no. We do have some protections in place. But, in reality, these protections are more nuanced than they seem. Influential factors include:

• Lack of standardized training requirements across states. 
• No FDA approval over ingredients in nail polish and other products.
• Inconsistent recordkeeping criteria.
• Regulations that differ between smaller and larger businesses.
• Language barriers. Studies have shown that workers who aren’t proficient in the English language are at higher risk of work-related injuries. In America, 50 percent of nail salon workers have little to no English-speaking proficiency. In turn, language creates hurdles to properly handling or avoiding hazards—as well as understanding the long-term consequences of dangerous chemicals in nail salons.

What are the hazardous chemicals found in nail salon products?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) warns nail technicians about hazardous chemicals and their side effects. They list several dangerous chemicals in nail salons, such as:

• Acetone: Found in nail polish remover. Can cause headaches, dizziness, and irritation.
• Acetonitrile: Found in glue remover. Can cause irritation, breathing problems, nausea, and exhaustion.
• Butyl acetate: One of many ingredients in nail polishes and polish removers. Can trigger headaches and irritation.
• Dibutyl phthalate (DBP): Found in nail polish. Can trigger nausea and eye, nose, mouth, and throat irritation.
• Ethyl acetate: Found in polish, removers, and glues. Known to cause irritation or even fainting.
• Ethyl methacrylate (EMA): Artificial nail liquid. Can cause asthma, difficulty concentrating, and harm to unborn children.
• Formaldehyde in nail products: A carcinogenic found in nail hardeners and polishes. Can cause difficulty breathing, allergic reactions, or even cancer.
• Isopropyl acetate: A nail chemical found in polishes and removers. May trigger sleepiness and irritation.
• Methacrylic acid: Found in nail primers. Can burn the skin, irritate, or even cause breathing difficulties.
• Methyl methacrylate (MMA): Banned in many states, but not all. May cause asthma, irritation, concentration problems, or loss of smell.
• Quaternary ammonium compounds: Found in some disinfectants. Can irritate or cause asthma.
• Toluene: Found in nail polishes and glues. Can dry out the skin, cause headaches, dizziness, and numbness, damage the liver and kidneys, or harm unborn children.
• Triphenyl phosphate (TPHP): Used in nail polishes. As a flame retardant,  this nail chemical can cause cancer, hormone disruption, neurological damage, diabetes, reproductive health, and thyroid dysfunction, a Forbes article explains. 

Safety Tactics: Combating Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals Found in Nail Salon Products

These dangerous chemicals in nail salon products can prove hazardous individually, Dina Maron wrote in Scientific American. 

But you’ll rarely encounter just one at a time. You’re routinely working in a shared space for hours each day. You can’t isolate your airspace from your neighbor’s. The end result is a toxic concoction that compounds your exposure and elevates your risk, Maron writes.

What about your clients? Are they safe? 

Precautions that protect you will also protect your customers. Although, let’s be real: The rhetoric surrounding nail salon chemicals already focuses on clients’ safety more than technicians’. And yet, they’re rarely the ones swallowing or inhaling harmful amounts of particles or vapors, or getting it in their eyes, Maron also says. 

Unfortunately, the nature of the job means you can’t eliminate your exposure to hazardous chemicals found in nail salon products. 

But you can reduce your risk. Nail technicians, here’s how to eliminate chemical exposure:

• Wear thick nitrile gloves—not latex or vinyl, Maron’s article suggests.
• If you run a nail salon, provide good ventilation. Consider exhaust systems, ceiling vents, and ventilated tables, the Law Offices of Laura Lanzisera recommend.
• Wear a mask. If you work for a salon with poor ventilation, consider investing in a respirator mask. (Why do nail artists and techs wear masks? Read more.) 
• Open doors and windows, if possible. 
• Offer employees metal, lidded garbage bins to block evaporating chemicals, the Law Offices suggest.
• Choose acid-free and 3-free (toluene, formaldehyde, and dibutyl phthalate—the “toxic trio”) products, whenever possible.
• Seek routine training to refresh your knowledge.
• Employers should share safety resources and training materials in a manner all employees understand.

Meanwhile, take extra precautions with pregnant clients and employees. For more advice about dangerous chemicals in nail salons, refer to OSHA’s guide “Health Hazards in Nail Salons.”

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