QuestionMy hands from the finger tips to the pads of my fingers are on fire, extremly itchy, burning and the cuticles are painful, red and have sores around the cuticles. I love having pretty hands but I find the acrylic fill is not worth the pain. I changed over to silk when living in CA but now that I live in Las Vegas it is not affordable here, Nor do very many salons do it here. I bought my own acid free primer thinking that might help, but it absolutly did not help. Even typing right now is so very painful for me. Any suggestions on what I can do to still have nice hands without the 5 days of horrific pain.
AnswerIt sounds very much like you have developed a sensitivity to acrylic monomer(the liquid). Possibly from sub-standard nail salons where dangerous MMA monomer is still in use for it's low price and industrial-strength adhesion; or from sloppy application practices that have allowed excessive exposure of your skin to the monomer.
Whatever the culprit, you're allergic now.
To aid with the immediate discomfort, try applying hydrocortisone cream to your hands, or soak them in some warm water with baking soda. Occasionally over the counter Benydryl can help with the swelling and itching, but if this doesn't help, or symptoms continue for more than a few days, see a doctor.
Removing the product from the nails rarely helps as the acrylic cures completely within 48 hours of application, completing the chemical reaction that causes polymerization and rendering the remaining acrylic product nothing more than an inert plastic.
Once your hands are back in good shape, either work those silk wraps into your budget, or see if you can find a reputable salon that offers hypoallergenic products. More and more products options are arriving on the market that fall into this category-- the trick is finding a technician who is proficient in product chemistry who understands what the term "hypoallergenic" means and which products it applies to.
Silk wraps work because they are a resin-based product, using cyanoacrylate resin (the same chemical that Crazy Glue is made of) instead of a monomer/polymer combination to build the enhancement, with a fabric mesh (silk or fiberglass is most common) to add a little extra strength. Cyanoacrylate resin is far less likely to cause skin irritation (and is also used in some "liquid bandage" products) than monomers, as well as less likely to be allowed to touch the skin. Some technicians think nothing of letting acrylic monomer slop all over the skin, but will work extra carefully to avoid getting resins or gels on the skin! Repeated skin exposure is the top culprit behind developing chemical sensitivities to products!
Also, a growing number of UV-cured gels are being manufactured now that also qualify as hypoallergenic! CND's "Brisa" brand gel is a popular one with many qualified nail technicians, as is the brand Light Elegance.
If you opt for a gel alternative, be sure to research your salon before allowing them to apply product as I continuously hear of salons that are misleading clients by applying traditional liquid and powder acrylic with only a gel topcoat over them and calling them gels.
True gel enhancements will be built of several layers of gel that is brushed on like polish with each layer being exposed to UV light for a brief period of time before the next layer is applied!
Another option is powder-glazing. I have heard this referred to as "diamond nails" often enough to have adopted this term for my own menu. I use the product line called "Extreme" by the company Backscratchers, and this brand is very popular, but there are many other companies that produce products for the same technique. It also used a resin, but instead of strengthening with fabric mesh, the nail is dipped into powder while the resin is still wet.
The powder is acrylic powder, but fear not! as the polymer portion of the liquid and powder combination is chemically inert-- with no chemically active components. It's just ground plastic with some BPO (Benzoil Peroxide) so if you are by chance allergic to Benzoil Peroxide,then stay away from acrylic powders, but otherwise it'll be fine.
Hopefully I've provided you with some helpful information and not just confused you! Good luck finding a reputable salon professional who can help you with this. You might try the salon locator at Beautytech.info to help you find a good technician who offers hypoallergenic services.
