Is Nail Polish Bad for Your Skin?

Nail polish is a global beauty trend. But, because nail polish is made from so many chemicals, there has been a lot of speculation about nail damage from nail polish, and whether it is bad for your skin, too.

In this article, we will be discussing exactly why nail polish can be bad for your skin, what you can do to protect your skin from these harsh effects, and if nail polish is bad for your actual nails, too.

What This Article Covers:

The Effects Of Nail Polish On Your Skin

One of the most frequently asked questions is “Is nail polish safe for your skin?”, and if nail polish ingredients are bad for your skin.

To give a straightforward answer, yes, nail polish is bad for your skin. When applying nail polish, you want to keep it on your nails and not get it on your skin.

But, it is not only the nail polish itself that is bad for your skin. It is also the application and removal process that is harsh and damaging to your skin.

Reasons Why Nail Polish Is Bad For Your Skin

There are a few reasons why nail polish is bad for your skin.

Firstly, if you get nail polish in contact with your skin, or even your cuticles, it can absorb the chemicals from it into your skin and bloodstream.

Nail polish also really dries your skin out and makes it dehydrated, particularly your cuticles.

Nail polish can also cause skin irritation and itchiness for some people, and in the worst case, it can cause an allergic reaction if it comes into contact with your skin.

How The Application Of Nail Polish Is Bad For Your Skin

If you are using gel polish, the lamp that is used to cure your gel nail polish contains ultraviolet (UV) lights which are bad for your skin.

is nail polish remover bad for your skin

These UV lights are known to cause premature aging of the skin. When exposed to UV lights, the rays penetrate deeply into your skin and damage the collagen and elastin in your skin, which is what is used to keep our skin looking young and healthy.

To avoid this, you can put on some sunscreen before applying.

Why The Removal Process Of Gel Nail Polish Is Bad For Your Skin

The other element of gel nails that is bad for your skin is the removal part. Removing gel nail polish requires you to soak or rub your nails with acetone. Unfortunately, this can’t be done without the acetone coming in contact with your skin.

Exposing your skin to acetone can lead to dermatitis, dry skin around your nails, skin sensitivity, and high amounts of acetone exposure can be quite dangerous.

How To Protect Your Skin From The Effects Of Nail Polish

Luckily, there are ways in which you can protect your skin from these harsh effects.

Firstly, applying sunscreen before your application can help ease the intensity and detrimental effects that the UV rays from the nail lamp have on your skin if you are going the gel route. This will help to prevent damage and premature aging of your skin.

Another way to prevent damage to your skin is to make sure that you get as little acetone as possible on your skin when using it to remove your nail polish. You can also try opting for an acetone-free nail polish remover, which will cause less damage to your skin.

If it is gel nail polish that you are removing, you could try a method where you soak cotton balls in acetone, then apply them to your nails, and wrap them in aluminum foil for 15 minutes. This trick not only works for gel nail polish but any other nail polish that is stubborn. Such as nail polish with glitter in it.

Lastly, one of the best ways to prevent damage to your skin is by using our Argan Oil Hand Creme, our Argan Cuticle Oil Drops, or our Cuticle Therapy Creme.

If Nail Polish Is Bad For Your Skin, Is It Bad For Your Nails, Too?

The question now stands “Is gel nail polish bad for your nails?”, and if so, is it bad to wear nail polish all the time?

Wearing nail polish very often can lead to your nails becoming weak and brittle. But, this is not always from the nail polish so much as what it is from the process.

For example, our nail polish is free from harsh chemicals, and it contains essential oils and vitamins that help strengthen the nails.

The process of soaking your nails in acetone, buffing them, and peeling off your polish is what is bad, not our nail polish.

You also do get some nail polishes that are filled with nasty chemicals, which of course would be very bad for your nails.

So, it is best to invest in good quality products, like any of our Orly ranges, and ensure you are giving your nails the best nourishment possible.

Should I Rather Stay Away From Nail Polish If It Has So Many Negative Connotations?

Not necessarily, no.

People tend to take things a bit out of proportion when they hear that it may be bad for them. They start asking questions like “Can nail polish kill you?”.

If you are just wearing nail polish, then no, definitely not. If you are trying to figure out “What happens when you eat nail polish?” then that’s a different story. (But please don’t try anything like that!)

As we mentioned, nail polish is only bad for your skin and nails when used in very high quantities. There are a lot of things that you can do to protect your skin and nails, and if you are on top of that, then there are actually quite a few benefits of nail polish.

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