School dances are significant milestones for teenagers. Whether it’s a formal, prom, ball or social, it’s a momentous event that girls plan for extensively, aiming to look absolutely stunning. It’s basically the Oscars for teens!
One key preparation is getting our nails done. This isn’t just about looking good or fitting in with everyone else—it’s a treat, a way to pamper ourselves, and a chance to bond with friends and family. We should be able to unwind, share laughs with our people, or enjoy some peaceful “me time.”
But who would have thought that a simple manicure could turn into a nightmare, with this mum issuing an acrylic nail warning to others. It’s supposed to be a luxury. We don’t expect such a relaxing treat to land us in the hospital.
Mum’s Acrylic Nail Warning
One Mums Special Treat
One UK mum, Rebecca, decided to treat her daughter, 15-year-old Laylah, to acrylics ahead of her year 11 prom. The nails cost £45 ($87 AUD) and initially looked great.
But after a few days, the day after prom, Laylah accidentally bumped her fingers and two of the artificial nails tore up into the nail bed. OUCH! The artificial nails were so strong, that when Laylah bumped her fingers it lifted her natural nail from the nail bed.
Nail Tech Friend Tried To Help
Quick thinking Rebecca called a friend who is also a nail technician to help, and booked Laylah in urgently to have the artificial nails removed.
As the nail tech was soaking and filing Laylah’s nails, she noticed a bed of yellow pus under one of the damaged nails.
The thumbnail was too painful to remove at the salon, so Rebecca took her daughter to urgent care.
An Infection And Hospital Stay
Doctors informed Rebecca that the acrylics had caused an infection under two of Laylah’s nails.
Laylah was admitted to the children’s ward where she was administered antibiotics and underwent surgery to remove her thumbnail.
Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that her thumbnail will grow back. It’s possible, but Laylah might be left without a thumbnail for the rest of her life.
Possible Poisonous Substances Used
Laylah’s mum believes the culprit was methyl methacrylate (MMA), a powerful chemical often used to strengthen acrylic nails.
MMA is banned in Australia and the US, but not the UK, and technicians are advised to use a less dangerous substitute like ethyl methacrylate (EMA) or similar.
Methacrylates can cause allergic reactions if they get into your skin. This can make your nails come loose and give you a bad, itchy rash. This allergy can occur if a technician is rushing, doesn’t use the ultraviolet light long enough, or isn’t trained properly. In some places, a nail technician diploma can take as little as one day.
Once your skin reacts to these chemicals, your body won’t tolerate acrylates anymore. If you’re allergic, you can’t have medical procedures that use these chemicals.
Based on what she saw, Rebecca’s technician friend thinks this was the cause of Laylah’s infection. She said, “’When normal acrylic is soaked off it should go to a flaky substance but when she was soaking this off it went into a glue and said she thought it was MMA.”
Expensive Lesson and Warning for others
Rebecca is hoping this acrylic nail warning and suggesting those having acrylic nails do their research before the appointment, especially as it’s a lot of money to throw away, and receiving inferior quality like she received could have dire consequences.
“’It’s upsetting because you get a lot of nail technicians charging the same price, but they are using genuine products. Then you’ve got salons that are using cheap products and charging ridiculous prices and it’s not good. You should do your research before getting your nails done and go to a reputable salons. People need to do research on where they are getting their nails done. I think this has put Laylah off for life. I don’t think she’ll get acrylic nails done again,” she added.
At least Laylah got to go to her prom before this happened. It pays to always look into the products technicians use on your skin and ensure they’re properly qualified. I always read reviews before I use a service, especially the middle-range ones, they’re generally more honest.
