Being In The Know

To a lot of people, I "just do nails", and while that might be true, I'm working on the human body with different chemicals all day every day. So you know, or hope you know ;), that I know what I'm doing. As much detail that goes into running the business and all the nail art, there's a lot I'm doing that's not noticed (which is quite alright, it's your time to relax!). This page is to calm the chaos and really show that I'm paying attention to more than what the news just wants to show and for you to be in the know.

This establishment does not use MMA (methyl methacrylate) which is illegal in salons of Wisconsin (and is used typically as cement in dentistry, orthopedic surgery and ophthalmology). After receiving complaints of injury associated with the use of artificial nails containing MMA in the 1970s, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) removed it from nail products. However, EMA (ethyl methacrylate), is the alternative, safer monomer used in most acrylic nail products in salons that specialize in acrylic nails. This is not even a concern in our establishment as our main focus is hard gel (structure gel) and does not contain this component. What to look out for and know if it's MMA if you're already receiving acrylic nails elsewhere: nail liquid containing MMA has been known to cause allergic reactions, permanent loss of the nail plate and in some cases, permanent loss of sensation in the fingertips. It has a strong irritating chemical odor that does not smell like other acrylic liquids. It's also very tough to remove from your nails even with proper equipment. Again, not a concern at Tips by Tay LLC establishment, this is for educational purposes only!

Scared on the LED/UV lamp? Don't be! I have gloves you can wear to protect your skin. I don't feel as if there has been any adequate studies on this topic quite yet but have precautions if that's what makes you feel most comfortable!

This establishment is also cleaned properly like it's our second home and much less, up to state standards. We have a weekly cleaner to come in to do the basics, but we also are properly cleaning/sterilizing our implements (tweezers, clippers, etc.) between every client. We use single use items (files, foam toe separators, wooden push sticks, etc.), once, as in one single time and then toss in the trash, as they are intended. Yeah, don't get me started on that one. We wash all towels with state required sanitizer. We run a complete cleaning cycle with hospital grade cleaner (Barbicide) through pedicure chairs between every client. With all this cleaning comes cost, and you'll find service prices show how much effort and care we put forth to make sure things, big or small, such as getting an infected cut all the way to MRSA or amputations are not happening. That's right, MRSA and amputations. Have you ever thought of how well your nail salons are cleaning these things? You may think, well that doesn't happen very often, it's hardly talked about. Think again. That leads me to the next topic...

This next topic is for some reason getting all the light shed on it by the news. And that is: TPO (trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide). I'm not trying to sound insensitive to the fact that a common ingredient in a lot of gel nail products are banned in the EU but there's a lot of other issues that are happening in the US that I feel have just as great of significance as TPO and are not being talked about enough. I feel as someone who works in this industry and has these products on 24/7, year after year, I can have an opinion and share. First, I'll give you the facts: On Sept. 1, the European Union banned one of the key ingredients in many gel nail products from being manufactured, sold, or commercially used. Nail technicians in salons across the continent needed to dispose of polishes containing TPO, and switch to alternatives. The chemical was classified as “carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic to reproduction” by European regulators after it was found to have reproductive toxicity effects in animal studies. In the United States, TPO remains legal and unrestricted in its use and sale. So is gel nail polish safe to use? Experts told PBS News that the amount of exposure to TPO that people experience with gel nail polish is very low, and that most applications of the beauty product put the user at minimal risk of the harmful effects found by the animal study. “Every ingredient at some point is going to cause harm. It’s just a matter of dose,” said Michelle Wong, chemistry P.h.D and science communicator at Lab Muffin Beauty Science. So how did the EU come to the conclusion to the ban of TPO? The animal studies referenced in the ban found that when the animals ingested high levels of TPO, they experienced fertility and reproductive health issues. That kind of exposure is completely different from what happens when humans typically apply gel nail polish, said Julian Sass, a cosmetic scientist. “In isolation, this ingredient can be harmful when it’s fed to rats,” but it’s important to ask what the exposure looks like in real life, Sass said. Realistically, humans are not ingesting the chemical when they put on nail polish, not even by accident, Wong said. Gel nail polish is known for its long-lasting shine and quick drying time in comparison to regular nail polish. When cured under a UV lamp, acrylic polymers form, coming together as a film on the nail. This transformation occurs with the help of a photoinitiator like TPO. “In the gel polish, it’s all broken up into smaller chunks, and the photoinitiator is what starts the chain reaction that makes them all join up,” Wong said. The EU banned TPO because of how their standards are structured, Sass said. The EU took a hazard-based approach to their study, meaning they looked at the intrinsic harm of the chemical or product in isolation. In comparison, the U.S. takes a risk-based approach, taking into account both the risk and exposure. “That specific part of the FDA, when it comes to banning certain ingredients, is more of a ‘do no harm’ situation, versus ‘here’s a list of every ingredient that you absolutely cannot have in products,’ like what the EU does,” Sass said. A chemical is banned by the EU as a precaution if it potentially causes cancer, damages DNA and/or adversely affects the reproductive, regardless of whether it has been put through a risk assessment. Because the animal study found reproductive harm, the EU prohibited the use of TPO. “I think if they did a risk assessment, it wouldn’t have been banned,” Wong said. Sass suggested that people might see overreactions to the EU’s ban on social media. “The social media thing is, ‘Oh, the U.S. has no regulations. We’re allowing these toxic chemicals in our products.’ And that’s not at all what’s happening in real life.” Currently TPO is not banned in the U.S., and it is unclear whether the Food and Drug Administration will follow suit. Since the ban was announced in May, Sass said brands have had time to reformulate their polishes. When curing the polish, the chemical gets rendered into a “completely different thing that can’t physically get through your skin,” Wong said. She estimated that 1% of TPO is left after curing, but added that the nail polish can also continue to absorb natural light. “If you’ve cured your nails and you are also going into the sun afterwards, the TPO is all going to be gone. It’s all going to be reacted away,” Wong said. I have done as much research as I can do to give the facts. I'm not a scientist, I can only listen and take away from the facts. And in my opinion, these days, everything has something in it that's not the greatest for us. And as I wish that weren't true, especially in this case scenario, I hope that you as the client feel that you are informed and that I as your licensed nail technician has your back.

Want to know about any and all ingredients in the products we use? It is required by law to have a whole binder just for that reason, so we got you covered! Ask to see the SDS binder.