Whilst reading other beauty blogs via my friend the internet, I was interested to see a post regarding certain nail polish ingredients and whether or not they were health hazards.

So, I decided to (once again) perform some research!  (We all know how much I love to research things.)

There are three product ingredients nail polish manufacturers are beginning to omit; toulene, dibutyl phthalate, and formaldehyde.  Formaldehyde is definitely negative if injested, but using topically, is it even able to be absorbed into the nail or skin cells?

Let’s start with looking at what makes up the human nail.  Our nails are made of a tough protein called keratin, which is made from living skin cells in our fingers and toes.  Though tougher than skin, they can still dry out the same way our skin does.  There are of course a multitude of parts that make up the human nail, but I’ll leave that for another day since it’s irrelevant to our research.

Moving on.

By law, nail products sold in the United States must be free of poisonous or deleterious (harmful) substances that might injure users when used as labeled or under the usual or customary conditions of use.

• http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-nail.html

What is dibutyl phthalate?

Here’s the chemical compound for dibutyl phthalate: C(16)H(22)O(4)  Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen.  It’s commonly added to plastics to make them soft and flexible, for example:  shower curtains, raincoats, food wraps, bowls, car interiors, vinyl fabrics, floor tiles, and other products.

Inhalation of this chemical at high levels can cause irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat.  It may also cause nausea, tearing of the eyes, vomiting, dizziness and headache.  Long term exposures may cause liver and kidney damage, and the development of a fetus or male testes.  Please keep in mind, these results are for inhalation only, and were done on animals and the tests have not been done on humans.

Dibutyl phthalate may enter the body either through inhalation or injestion (drinking or eating) of a substance that may have this on it.  While it can enter the body through the skin, this process is incredibly slow.

The studies show that this is non-carcinogenic to humans (it does not cause cancer).

Sources:

• http://www.npi.gov.au/database/substance-info/profiles/32.html
• http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/healthguidelines/dibutylphthalate/recognition.html
• http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/di-n-but.html

Next on our list, formaldehyde!

Formaldehyde is found nearly everywhere, including building materials, smoking, household products, gas stoves and kerosene space heaters.  It’s used to add a permanent press quality to clothing, as well as found in glue and other adhesives.

Formaldehyde can cause watery eyes, burning sensations in the eyes and throat, nausea, and difficulty in breathing in some humans exposed at elevated levels (above 0.1 parts per million).  There is evidence that some people can develop a sensitivity to formaldehyde.  It has also been shown to cause cancer in animals and may cause cancer in humans.  Health effects include eye, nose, and throat irritation; wheezing and coughing; fatigue; skin rash; severe allergic reactions.  (1)  Please note that any cancer causing exposure to formaldehyde would be in extremely high doses.

Formaldehyde is found in nail hardeners (NOT in nail polish), and may cause an allergic reaction to those sensitive to the product.  However, without inhalation of a high dose of this product, or injestion, it’s unlikely you’ll see an issue.

Sources:

• http://www.epa.gov/iaq/formalde.html
• http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/risk/formaldehyde
• http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts111.html
• http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/formaldehyde/
• http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0419.htm

Now, what about toluene?

Toluene is a clear, colorless liquid with a distinctive smell.  It occurs naturally in crude oil, as well as the tolu tree.  This ingredient is added to things like paint, paint thinners, fingernail polish, lacquers, rubber, and in some printing and leather tanning processes.

It cannot be in amounts of greater than 50% in nail polish products as regulated by the FDA.

There is no proof that inhalation or injestion of toluene will cause cancer.  Studies (in both animals and humans) show that it is unlikely.

The worst way to be exposed to toluene is in contaminated drinking water (most likely well water).  Short term effects include: minor nervous system disorders such as fatigue, nausea, weakness, confusion.  Long term effects (from lifetime exposure) include: more pronounced nervous disorders such as spasms, tremors, impairment of speech, hearing, vision, memory, coordination; liver and kidney damage.

Again, no proof of anything from topical application of this product.

Sources:

• http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts56.html
• http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw000/contaminants/dw_contamfs/toluene.html
• http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/toluene/

I’m not convinced these products are bad, there’s no research showing that there’s anything wrong with using them as directed (keep that in mind, USE THEM AS DIRECTED).

What are your thoughts?