Nail Polish During Pregnancy
Contents:
Is Nail Polish Safe to Use During Pregnancy?
A pregnant woman radiates harmony and happiness. You wouldn’t think she needs an additional help to look more beautiful. But every woman has her own habits in taking care of her beauty and the help of cosmetics just adds some flavor into the process of achieving the perfection. Future moms are sometimes concerned about the harmful effect of the chemical ingredients used in cosmetics. Cream and lotions are absorbed by skin and affect our health directly, but with nail polish it is not that clear. So is it safe to use a nail polish during pregnancy?
Can Pregnant Women Use a Nail Polish
Women, who fear using a nail polish during pregnancy, often cannot explain what the cause of their fear is. So what is the reason for this fear? Firstly, we need to dispel an illusion about the most common fear that nail polish penetrates the nail. This is not harmful. The substances inside the nail polish can really harm a future mom’s and baby’s health, but they need to get inside through respiratory system. That’s why you need to be very careful when choosing a nail polish and nail polish remover.
Make sure that your nail care products do not contain the following chemicals:
- Formaldehyde. This chemical provides an adherence in nail polish. It is also a strong poison that when penetrating the body, affects the central nervous system, reproductive system, and respiratory system. Due to its polluting effect, it is included in the hazardous substance list and has maximum permissible limit. Future moms when exposed for too long to formaldehyde can develop pregnancy pathology. Formaldehyde can also affect the fetal development in general, causing the allergy and immune system problems in particular.
- Toluene (methyl benzene) is a solvent that is used in nail polish to make it dry fast and stay long on the nails. Toluene is a carcinogen that can harm the future mom and baby.
- Acetone is a common component in nail polish remover. It is a carcinogen with strong solvent properties that can cause toxicity in the body. It is hazardous for lungs, liver and kidneys. It is not recommended to use acetone nail polish removers as they dissolve the nail’s natural oils, which leaves the nails weak and brittle.
- Another potentially dangerous nail polish ingredient is camphor. Despite its natural origin it is not recommended for use during pregnancy. This essential oil, which is highly volatile, has a strong smell that when inhaled can cause an increase in uterine tonus.
As you can see, the answer to the question of the nail polish safety during pregnancy is ambiguous. There is no direct prohibition to have a manicure and pedicure during pregnancy, but the future mom should be very wise when choosing nail cosmetics. Don’t try to save a few pennies on your and your baby’s health. Read the list of ingredients carefully so that you know that none of the above-mentioned chemicals are used. Now the market offers a great choice of harmless hypoallergenic cosmetic that is safe for pregnancy.
If you still choose nail polish that contains formaldehyde and toluene, try to limit your use to rare occasions. Additionally, keep the room ventilated when painting your nails, and do not blow on your nails as that will only increase the hazardous fumes inhalation.
After removing the nail polish, wash your hands with soap to get rid of the chemical residue. If someone says that a pregnant woman should not use nail polish, do not rush to argue with them or, to the contrary, to get rid of all your nail cosmetics. There is some truth to those words, but it does not mean you need to neglect your beauty. A moderate manicure will lift up your spirits and confidence.
Obviously the time right before the delivery should be a break from the beauty rituals. A future mom should arrive to the hospital with shortly cut nails and no nail polish. This rule makes sense, as it is hard to take care of the baby with the long nails with chipping paint on them. It will be hard to maintain the manicure in the hospital. Besides, all your time and your mind will be dedicated to a different matter.