In the beauty world, things can get expensive. The average price for a basic manicure is about $20 in Elburn. The do-it-yourself (DIY) community has been helpful for those wanting to cut the cost of getting their nails done at salons, but at what cost? The trend of doing your own nails is one of the most dangerous DIYs that has been picking up traction.
One of the many dangers of DIYing beauty trends is the lack of training. To become a certified nail technician, one must complete their state’s approved program and at least 350 hours of training. This prevents people from getting hurt or getting a reaction from the strong chemicals that are used. When people go about the process themselves, they risk extreme damage and lifelong issues, such as inhaling the fumes of the chemicals or powders.
When prepping the nail without proper training, people tend to take off more of the nail bed, making the nail brittle and more likely to break. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, another way the damage is done is by wearing artificial nails. The nails, most often acrylic, have to be soaked off, which exposes the natural nail to extremely harsh chemicals. Although both the chemical exposure and the damages can happen at a nail salon, it is much safer to go there as the damage is less detrimental.
Recently, Gel-X nails have become popular for their similarity to acrylic but their easier application. The Gel-X nails and gel nails are beautiful if done correctly, but if done incorrectly, the damage is lifelong. A reported issue with the at-home kits and gel polish is a gel allergy. When the skin comes in contact with uncured or undercured gel for a long period of time, it can create contact dermatitis, which can show up as a rash. Once the allergy has become established, an individual cannot use gel polish without the reaction happening again.
Although reactions and damages might seem bound to happen to someone, whether or not they do it at home or in a licensed salon, the reports are much fewer when coming from a salon. Even some of the safest at-home options have dangers as well. The one way to combat any injury is to do substantial research and implement safety techniques, though the safest option is always to go to a salon.
