Acrylic Nails and the Danger

With so many acrylic nail shops around in Bangkok, every shopping mall has a least four little shops, some of my friends asked me can acrylic nails harm your real nails if you wear them all the time..?

Acrylic nails may cause roughening and discoloration of your natural nails after prolonged use, says Dr Cheong Lai Leng, a consultant dermatologist. More severe adverse effect include bacterial or fungal infection of the natural nail and allergic contact dermatitis.

This happens when with the wear and tear of daily living, gaps occur between the acrylic tip and the natural nail. “These gaps provide an excellent environment for bacteria and fungus to grow.”says Dr. Cheong. The infected natural nail may become thickened, grossly discolored and fragile. Medial treatment by a dermatologist will be needed to eradicate the infection.

Dr. Cheong adds that your skin may also react to the materials used in the application of acrylic nails. “With repeated exposure to these chemicals, you may develop an allergy to one of them. The allergic contact dermatitis is seen as an itchy rash on the skin around the nail.” Occasionally, the offending chemical is inadvertently carried to other areas of the body, leading to dermatitis at a site far from the finger. Sometimes, the nail may even become separated form the finger.

Dr. Cheong's suggestion is to limit the wearing of acrylic nails to no more than three months at a stretch. “What is more important is that the nails be applied by a well-trained technician so that problems are prevented. If they're poorly applied, problems can develop within two or three weeks as the natural nail grows.