NYC nail salon air quality was tracked for a week the findings were troubling

Nearly half of American women get their nails done at a salon once a month or more.They say the number one concern when picking a salon is whether it’s clean and sanitary.After all, nail infections from fungus or bacteria can be introduced at a salon, when sharp tools or aggressive filing can open the skin.But new research says that it’s what’s in the air that we should turn our attention to.

In New York, they found, air quality was worse than previously thought.Researchers in this new study found that throughout the day, concentrations of dangerous chemical spiked repeatedly, spelling danger for workers’ health — raising risk of cancer over time.To be clear, the study was done with workers in mind — people spending the entire day in the salon over months and years — not customers getting their nails done for a short period and only on occasion.Here’s what researchers found.Researchers from City University of New York Graduate School of Public Health (CUNY SPH) measured the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air minute-by-minute in five New York City salons.VOCs are chemical that evaporate into the air — think of smells coming off paint, new carpet, air fresheners, etc.VOCs are a problem in nail salons, where polish, solvents, and acrylics all affect air quality.The researchers measured concentrations throughout the day, took samples, and modeled how much exposure workers would be getting over time, and how this might affect their health.Hazardous chemicals like benzene and methacrylates were detected but at low levels.

That said, when modeled over lifetime risk, exposures exceeded EPA’s safety benchmarks in multiple scenarios.Methacrylates — like EMA, the industry standard for soak-off acrylics, MMA, and PMMA — are all associated with acrylic artificial nails.According to the EPA, methacrylates can be irritating to the eyes, skin, and mucus membranes in the throat and nose, causing respiratory symptoms like coughing and ...