Hello all!!
I just heard today that people who wear acrylic nails are subject to getting an auto-immune disease????????????????? What I said!!
Has anyone heard of such a thing?????
Tara
Well, I've heard those nail salons aren't exactly hygienic, and that you couldI have heard of having greater instance of infection in general because of acrylic nails. When I lived in Las Vegas I had acrylic nails for years, but always had great manicurists who worked in very clean well recommended salons. I did have friends once in a while that got an infection under their nails, but took care of it right away, but don't think they had problems with auto-imune illnesses.
I would say though, that if you do have an auto-immune disease you should be extra careful of infection. There are tons of mani/pedi shops where I leave and a lot of them are not clean, so I won't be wearing acrylics for a while.
Oh great. I'm now wearing my first set of acrylics in 4 years. Going on one year of joint pain (still undiagnosed though)Yes I love to get my nails done and I do have one great manicurist and it is a very clean place. But still, I thought they would at least sanitize they're equipment. Oh but I will be asking when I go again.
Im going to google this. I have never heard of such a thing. I guess auto-immune diseases can be caused by infection too!!
Tara
Tara, I'm curious where you heard this? If true, then that's pretty alarming. I believe my symptoms started about a year ago, after a burst infected appendix, but it's hard to pinpoint when because I also have fibromyalgia, was recovering from the surgery, etc. In July I got acrylic nails for my wedding, and kept them for a couple of months. The place I went is extremely clean and responsible, the same woman who has done my nails (and sometimes acrylics) on various occasions in the past. But I did notice that I had an unusally difficult time getting them off in September...maybe different materials were used? Looked like the same old thing.
Anyway, my nails have never been the same...they are peeling and won't grow beyond the nail bed, often breaking beneath the nail bed. And of course RA came to visit.I recall reading a short while ago about a nursery somwhere in the mid west and for some unknown reason the babies were getting serious infections and after an investigation, it was traced to nurses with acrylic nails and the nails were harboring bacteria underneath them. I don't think that the incident was made public to any extent, but it does make sense.
Tara, I do know that Hepatitis C can be spread by the sharing of toe nail and
fingernail clippers so if that holds true, I wonder if Hep C can be spred in
these salons. That is a scary thought.
Innerglow--a friend of mine was telling me today that she worked with a girl who got an infection from wearing nails for a long period of time and going to different salons to get them done. She said that somehow the infection affected her immune system.??????? Im confused??? I would think that these salons would have to pass some kind of health inspection wouldnt you??
I do remember some people having their own tools there at the salon and I did ask why one time and they said because alot of people dont want to have them use the same tools on them.
Hmmm. Interesting. I had never heard that before. But then again I don't get my nails done. My 15 year old does tho. Gives me something to think about with hygiene etc. I never go with her and the place she goes to is pretty close so maybe I will go and check it out next time. Thanks for the heads up.
Gimpy...when I was hospitalized with that last flare I had, my doc and I were talking and he said that it can be an infection we get and then along with a stressful event in life, the infection moves into the joints and the immune system is already wonky from the stress and then viola....arthritis. So the infection theory does have some basis to it as far as I know.
I don't know for sure (someone out here must know). I would think they have to pass some sort of initial inspection for licensing (in NJ they're required to have a license with their photo displayed), but after that I bet they can do anything as long as no one complains to the regulatory board.I've heard of infections, including Hep C and fungal infections of the nail beds due to poor hygiene in the salons. Once the nails are applied they're hard to clean. Have never had acrylics. I think for the most part the instruments that are used are soaked in a liquid that supposedly kills germs. What germs and how long should the instruments be processed? The instruments that they use are expensive and I'm sure if the sterilization process is 20 minutes to an hour then they should have 3 sets of instruments. I don't think that they have that many sets. I may be wrong. When the next client comes in they probably grab the stuff out of the cleaning solution, use it, put it back in the solution, and continue this process. I don't think they rotate instruments.
If I had acrylics I'd find out about the process and make sure by observing that the germ killing process was enforced. I've seen a manicurist take the used instruments and quickly wipe them down with alcohol and proceed to the next client.
All of you that get manicure and have acrylic nails be careful and ask questions.
I just googled it and it said people who are immune suppressed would not be a good candidate for acrylic nails because of the chance of a bacteria infection. I'm wondering if it could really bring on an auto-immune disease if you get an infection??? Hm......
We had a cleaning service for the shop and it looked great but they had nothing to do with the personal equipment we used. When the "State Board Lady" made her rounds about every three mos. all the shops in town notified each other she was on the way. Everyone went into frenzy cleaning up and always got A grades,except maybe the first one she surprised. All stations had combs, scissors,razors, brushes,etc. that stayed in a fermaldahyde solution, but that was only for looks. I never saw anyone use sterilized equipment. The nail specialist did use a solution of chlorine bleach to soak her metal things in but buffers, emery boards, nail polish.toe and finger seperators, and other shared things couldn't be sterilized. Besides, the inspector would never be able to tell what was sterilized or not just by opening a drawer or satchel of equipment.
Fungus is the main issue we had with acrylic nails and it was very hard to get rid of, I can only imagine someone with autoimmune disease getting it. After knowing and seeing what I know, I will never, and have never ,went to a public salon to have my nails done. Be ware is all I can say.. Genesis
Oh, and yes you have to have to go to cosmotology and be state board liscenced to do nails, at least here in N.C.... Gen
This is very interesting isnt it???
I just checked Snopes, and while this rumor isnt listed there is another interesting one about waxing brows and disease.
http://www.snopes.com/medical/disease/eyebrow.asp
It seems to me that this may be related to our fear of disease and our misplaced concern about Asian immigrants, since so many nail salons employ women who are Asian.. 100 years ago the rumors were about the Irish and the southern European immigrants..
Just my 2 cents.
OMG!!!!!! What a find!!!Yep, I have a "misplaced concern about Asian immigrants" and a "fear of disease" and that's why I don't have manicures and pedicures. Hey, Kathy you're half right, I do have a concern regarding fungal and bacterial infections of the nail. I have a right to be concerned since I'm on DMARDS and biologics.
What is this "misplaced concern about Asiain immigrants" idea coming from? I don't think I saw anything in this thread that pointed in that direction, because if I had, I wouldn't have participated in this thread. I must have missed something, I'm usually a lot sharper than that. Oh well, I guess it's another thread that's gone bad. Bye guys, it was interesting while it lasted. Lindy
We MUST be careful about disease and possible sources of contaniments.
If a salon is not hygenic of course anyone is in danger from disease, regardless of who is working there.
What I am saying is that often rumors about particular places get started because of people who work there. 100 years ago there were signs saying " no Irish need apply" we've gotten beyond that..our discrimination is far more subtle, and MIGHT be expressed with a slur against nail salons etc.
I am still searching for any source for the concern that acrylic nails cause autoimune disease. is it a cause or a collolary? Most people who get acrlyic nails are women and most people with autoimmune diseases are women?? You could say hair dye causes short stature.. not a cause but a cololary ... most people who dye their hair are women, most women are shorter than most men.
I hope I made myself more clear.
Kathy, I understood what you were trying to say and it reminded me of
Just a bit of info, may be old info cause I have not had a license for many years, but take it for whatever it is worth.......
Salons are like hospitals, they have a bazillion germs and bacteria in them. Not everyone washes their hair all the time, lice is the biggest culprit. Salons are required to use disinfectant on everything so if you ever see a hairstylist drop her scissors or a comb on the floor, make sure they get a new one from the canister of blue stuff....and if he/she picks up the item off of the floor, they are to wash their hands, so insist they do.
I used to have a manicuring license before the acrylic nails came to be. Most of what we learned was about infections of the nail and nail bed. Even if you use nail polish all the time you are setting yourself up for a fungal or bacterial infection. The polish and /or acrylic nail starves the nail of oxygen and regular washing. Let 'em breath ladies!
The utensils they use in placing acrylic nails on is one main prob but also it is what the acrylic actually does to the nail other than starving it.
There is a lot more to it than that but let me tell you, I have seen some pretty gross nails due to the acrylics and just plain ol' clear nail polish. Use in moderation, and use common sense.
jode
Kathy, I completely missed what you were trying to say. I don't know anything about the hep c exposure in nail salons. I've read before about it being possible. I do know for a fact that fungal and bacterial infections can be spread by reusing instruments in the salon. I've often wondered why they weren't required by law to autoclave. Makes sense to me, especially since I was a surgical nurse for almost 20 years. My only "slur" against nail salons is don't reuse instruments and make sure that they are soaked for the recommended length of time. It's no different than expecting restaurant kitchens to wash dishes at an acceptable temperature to kill germs or doctors offices to use sterilized instruments.
When I was getting pedicures and manicures it was in my hometown and the people working there were none Asian. I saw bad hygiene, reuse of instruments, files reused without even wiping with alcohol, nail polish used over and over. Once I started DMARDS and biologics I made the decision not to get manicures and pedicures. I felt it was too risky.
I'm really interested in reading about the hep c connection. Lindy
I too haveoften wondered if the nail salons have rules and regs for cleanliness and sterilizing equip. It is pretty discusting to see nails in this shape,plus the fungus can leave permanent damage to the nail. Ridges and discoloration of the nail is the most common, also painful ingrown nails are not uncommon. NOT worth it to me...GenFYI, go to www.medicinenet.com and go to nail salon. Also go to www.santacruzsentinel.com and go to nail salon infection. Both are informative about bacterial and fungal infection both from acrylic nails and improper sterilization of instruments.I've been having my nails done for years. Not acrylic, but fiberglass. My nail tech. is spotless. Each client has their own nail files in an envelope with their name on it.