Nail polish can cause contact dermatitis

In the case of contact dermatitis caused by nail polish, the first symptom is a rash on the eyelids or face where the skin is thin and sensitive, caused by the inadvertent rubbing of the face by the finger nails.

Other symptoms of contact dermatitis, an allergic disease of the skin, in nail polish users, include fingertip tenderness, swelling and redness. Nail polish has many ingredients that could cause allergic reactions: toluene sulfonamide, formaldehyde resin, acrylates and ethylcyanoacrylates being the most common, and red nail polish is thought to be the worst offender because it also has red dyes.

Carmine, a red dye used in lipstick and nail polish, has been found to cause contact dermatitis, as well as more severe reactions when ingested or inhaled. However red nail polish was not found to be more allergenic than other nail polishes in studies.

Source: EmpowHER

November 2011

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