A few studies have been conducted to assess health outcomes in nail salon workers. While these studies are unable to specify which of the myriad chemicals (or more likely, what combination) may be linked to each of the health outcomes, the results of these studies indicate that exposure in nail salons appears to be hazardous. In one study, nail technicians were found to have greater problems with attention and cognitive processing, and lesser sense of smell than control subjects. Length of time worked in the industry as well as having a smaller workplace and inadequate ventilation was associated with greater severity of these symptoms. Another study looked at self-reported cognitive symptoms in nail salon workers. The findings show that nail salon workers had greater complaints about memory and learning. Again, this study showed that smaller workplaces and inadequate ventilation increased the severity of complaints. A third study in Colorado found six physician-diagnosed cases of occupational asthma in nail technicians who applied acrylic nails. It was demonstrated that amanicure table with built in downdraft ventilation would significantly decreas eexposure to acrylic nail dusts and ethyl methacrylate by nail technicians. The risk of spontaneous abortion was the focus of a study of cosmetologists in North Carolina. This study foundan increased risk of spontaneous abortion among cosmetologists insalons where manicuring or “nailsculpturing” was performed.There is sufficient concern about the long term health effects of low level chemical exposure in nail salons. However, no studies on nail salon workers examining chronic health effects such as birth defects,i nfertility or reproductive harm have been published. One study looking at occupational causes of cancer found that cosmetologists were at higher risk for Hodgkin’s disease. The study did not distinguish nail salon workers from other cosmetologists such as hairdressers or beauticians, so the specific impacts of nail salon chemicals cannot be determined by this study.
By Alexandra Gorman and Philip O’Connor: Women’s Voices for the Earth, February 2007
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