You know how frustrating it can be if you’re one of the many people who suffer from itchy acrylic nails. Acrylic nails often cause your natural nails to become dry and brittle, leading to itching. Luckily, you can do a few things to stop the From Acrylic Nails and keep your nails looking their best.
This post will discuss some of the best ways to prevent and treat acrylic nail itchiness. Keep reading for more information!
Why Do Acrylic Nails Itch the First Night?
The itching you face on the first night after getting acrylic nails is due to chemical reactions. When the acrylic nails are applied, an exothermic reaction takes place.
Heat is released from the acrylic paste, which causes nail bed burning and itching in the surrounding skin.
This temporary itching may get a bit more uncomfortable for those with sensitive skin. This can also be skin dermatitis that starts in a short time after acrylic nail application.
Once this reaction ends, the itching also stops.
Does Acrylic Allergy Go Away?
It is observed that people with acrylic nail allergy face issues every time they get acrylic or gel manicures.
This is because the acrylic allergy does not go away. It is permanent that your skin becomes more sensitive to the chemicals that are used during the acrylic manicure process.
It may get reduced for a few days with the help of some medications, but it does not get completely eliminated.
This allergy may go away when you remove your acrylics completely, but it will return when you get them again.
You may use nail treatment that is rich in topical corticosteroids and emollients. They help in soothing skin allergies (such as eczema or dermatitis).
Why Am I Allergic to Acrylic Nails All of a Sudden?
Methacrylate chemicals, which are present in acrylic nails, can make you allergic to artificial nails.
It might be possible that you were able to get acrylics in the past, but you may develop irritated cuticles and allergic reactions.
These nail chemicals may get in your nail bed or cuticle area, which makes direct contact with our most sensitive skin, leading to severe skin problems and allergies.
You may develop this allergy at any stage, regardless of whether you had them done before or not.
Acrylic Nail Allergy Symptoms
Following are the symptoms of acrylic nails allergy which you may notice probably in an hour:-
1. Redness
2. Itchiness
3. Swelling
These are the first symptoms you may observe as soon as you get an acrylic manicure.
These may turn into intense redness, itchiness, and swelling around the skin surrounding the cuticle area if ignored and not taken proper medication.
You may also witness some allergic rash as well within a day or two, depending upon the severity of the allergic reaction.
Swollen Itchy Cuticles After Acrylic Nails
Acrylic products contain several chemicals that cause skin irritation and allergy. Swollen itchy fingers and cuticles are a sign of acrylic nail allergy.
Your cuticles and finger itch due to the chemical reaction of applying acrylic nails.
Swelling around the cuticle area is due to the chemical reaction and heat produced by the acrylic nails.
For this problem, you may dip the infected nails in warm water for a few minutes three to four times a day. But these home remedies may not help if you have pus-filled abscesses.
In such a case you must visit a doctor as soon as possible.
Acrylic Nails Can Cause Skin Contact Dermatitis
Skin contact dermatitis is actually a mild allergy that occurs as a result of when our immune system tries to fight back with any outer substance, either liquid or solid. Such unwanted substances are called allergens.
In our case, these allergens are the chemical components of applying artificial nails. These substances can potentially be harmful to our body, and hence, our immune system protects us.
Skin contact dermatitis does not spread to other parts of the body and does not cause any itching in the eyes, nose, and others.
They are an ‘itchy rash’ that you may observe within a few days after getting acrylic nails. This is caused due to contact between any chemical substance towards which your skin is sensitive.
Removing acrylics will simply remove the problem.
Who Can Have Skin Contact Dermatitis From Acrylic Nails?
You might wonder, ‘ What are these itchy rashes that I am facing after a few days of getting my nails done?’
Well, these are contact dermatitis, which occurs due to the contact between nail chemical substances and our immune system.
Who can have these?
Anyone with a weak immune system may observe itchy cuticles and itchy fingers just after getting the acrylic nails done. This is because the immune system cannot fight back against unwanted chemical substances.
Some people may not observe any such symptoms after the first application. But overdoing artificial nails will make them vulnerable to contact dermatitis. Their immune system is capable enough to discard foreign substances and restore real nails.
This is the reason why some people get this irritation all of sudden, while others do not.
Also, this is not a severe allergic reaction and goes away as soon you remove the fake nails.
Why Do Your Cuticles Itch After Getting Acrylics?
The reason behind this can be either that your skin has a low tolerance level towards chemicals or chemicals that are used are harsh.
SKIN TOLERANCE: As we all have different skin types, our immune system also differs. Some people have very low tolerance, whereas it is higher in others. Our body reacts differently whenever it comes in contact with any chemical substance.
People with low immune tolerance tend to get these symptoms much earlier. People with high immune tolerance may take up to a few days to observe these.
CHEMICAL PRODUCTS USED: Every liquid product that is used on the nail bed in the acrylic application process contains a chemical or the other. Primers, dehydrators, liquid monomers, and other nail products contain harsh chemicals.
After these products are applied, a reaction takes place on your natural nails that makes cuticles itchy.
Not only at application, but these chemicals can cause itchy cuticles if not removed properly.
What Nail Technicians Can Do to Avoid the Itch From Acrylic Nails?
If you get itchy cuticles while you are getting your acrylic nails done in a nail salon, the following are a few things that your nail tech may do to avoid the itching caused by them:
1. Drying all liquid products
Drying all the liquid products completely before applying any other product to them is a necessary step.
Because if you do not let all the products dry completely, then the moisture may get trapped in between your natural nails and fake nails, causing severe chemical reactions and further itching.
To speed up this drying process, nail techs usually prefer using a small heated fan. This small-sized fan speeds up the drying of liquid products applied to the nails.
2. Avoid contact or any liquid nail products with your cuticles
After the nail prep is done, your skin around the cuticles becomes more sensitive. Any direct contact with the chemical liquid will cause itching in such a situation.
3. Remove nail dust
Nail dust is to be removed completely before and after applying acrylic nails. These are unwanted particles that may cause itching if not taken care of. For this, they can use an air-compressed source.
This is actually used to clean minute dust particles from computers. It will ease the nail work for your nail technician.
4. Training of your nail technician.
Training of your nail tech plays a major role here. Untrained technicians are not aware of which acrylic powder or liquid is to be combined together. Hence you may end up with irritated cuticles.
Other Causes That Can Make You Itch After Acrylic Nails
1. Minor cuts
We usually get these minor cuts while turning pages of a new book, cutting veggies, and many other activities. When the chemical substances come in contact with these, it makes cuticles itch.
This is so common that even using sanitizer on such cuts causes irritation and itchiness.
2. Cuticle trimming
When cuticles are trimmed excessively, the lower skin contacts the environment. This skin is even more sensitive, and any contact with such chemical-based nail products may cause itching of cuticles and fingers too.
3. Pushing back of cuticles
Pushing cuticles back is a part of nail prep. This step helps in removing any dead cells present in the cuticle area. As excessive trimming of cuticle causes a problem, similarly excessive pushing back of cuticles do.
When you push back cuticles more than required, the sensitive area of the nail is exposed to the nail products being used. And hence causes an itchy sensation.
How to Stop Itching From Acrylic Nails at Home
The above-mentioned methods can work while you get your fake nails and face itching during the application process. Here is a list of a few things you can do at home to avoid itchy cuticles.
But before trying any of these nail treatments, confirm that you have an allergic reaction or fungal infection.
1. Soak your nails in a bowl of warm water and vinegar for 5 minutes.
Take a bowl large enough to get both your hands dipped in it. Fill it with warm water so your nails can submerge easily. Add white vinegar to it and dip your nails for 5 minutes or as required.
White vinegar has antiseptic, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties. This helps in relieving dry skin and itching, and warm water soothes the affected area.
2. Apply a generous amount of moisturizer to your hands and nails, then put on gloves.
Applying a good amount of fragrance-free moisturizer and covering your hands with gloves will seal the moisture and prevent further drying.
Wearing gloves help to cut down any contact with the external environment and locks the moisture in your hands, cuticles, and fingers. Hence, if you wear gloves for a few hours, then you are helping your nails to restore.
Also, if you use an antibiotic cream, it will reduce the allergic reaction and soothes skin inflammation too.
3. Rub olive oil onto your nails and cuticles every night before bed.
Olive oils contain numerous vitamins that help nourish and restore natural nails. Rubbing olive oil gently on your cuticles reduces itchiness around the nail surroundings and makes the cuticles healthy over time.
During the nighttime, our hands do not come in contact with any harsh soap or chemical product that can worsen the itchiness. And hence it is the right time when your nails can relax and rehydrate themselves.
4. Trim your nails short and file them into a rounded shape.
Cutting your nails short will not allow any kind of bacteria to build in your nails. If ignored, long nails become a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi, leading to severe infections.
Keeping your nails clean is basic hygiene that one should not miss to look nice and attractive. Round shape gives your nail a neat and clean look without doing any expensive manicures.
5. Apply the clear or light-colored nail polish to seal in the moisture.
Once you have successfully removed the acrylic nails, and are also done with the moisturizing steps, do apply any clear or light-colored nail polish to seal in the moisture on your nail bed.
Clear normal nail polish will act as a protective covering on the nails and will not allow any external particle to harm your nails. You may also use light-colored nail polish to give your nails a colorful look.
6. Put ice on your nails for 10 minutes when they start to itch.
The itchiness should disappear when all acrylic nails and chemicals are completely removed. But if you still face the same, put an ice cube for about 10 minutes or accordingly to reduce the irritation. This cold compress will gradually reduce the itch.
Where to Get Help if Your Acrylic Nails Still Itch So Bad?
If you have tried all the above-mentioned tips, and you still face itching, then the only and the best way left is to visit a doctor as soon as possible. It is also possible that you may notice some other symptoms depending upon the actual condition and severity of your nail problem.
There can either be some prescription creams or medications that will help with your problem.
Is There a Better Alternative to Acrylic Nails?
There are numerous options available in online and offline markets where you can buy other types of fake nails. They may be press-on, nail stickers, etc. These are comparatively harmful and cheaper as compared to acrylic nails.
Also, if you still wish to get your nails straight from a nail tech in nail salons, go for a gel polish manicure. These manicures have a natural nail-like finish without using harmful chemical nail products.