A common question among people who wear nail overlays or extensions is: can I have or keep my nail enhancements during pregnancy?
Nails during pregnancy: can you have enhancements?
Let’s clarify this. There are many different opinions online, and I will answer as an educator, nail technician and mother.
Applying gel, acrylic, gel polish or another enhancement product to nails during pregnancy does not in itself pose a particular risk when the products comply with European cosmetics regulations.
The nail plate is a skin appendage that does not allow substances applied to its surface to be absorbed into the body, so nothing we apply to it is absorbed by the body.
The only product that could cause a problem in this respect, if it touches the cuticle area—which should not normally happen—is acid primer. It contains methacrylic acid, which can burn the skin and be absorbed through it.
You therefore need to be very careful when using it or, if the nail plate allows, avoid it as a precaution.
Potential problems with nail enhancements during pregnancy
A separate consideration is odour.
During pregnancy, there is often heightened sensitivity to certain smells, which can become very unpleasant or intolerable.
It is therefore advisable to wear a mask or try to avoid strong-smelling products, such as conventional monomer, which can be replaced with an odourless version.
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Nail enhancements before giving birth
Remember, however, that as your due date approaches, it is advisable to remove all nail products and leave your nails bare. This is not because gel damages them, but because healthcare staff use a device called a pulse oximeter during labour or birth. It clips onto a finger to measure blood oxygen levels, and covering the nail plate with a product prevents the device from reading oxygen saturation.
When should you do this? Personally, I left my nails bare from the eighth month, in case my little girl decided to arrive early.
Can you work as a nail technician during pregnancy?
What if I work as a nail technician and become pregnant?
In this case, it is advisable to speak to your doctor straight away to find out whether you qualify for early maternity leave, avoiding constant contact with solvents and other products.
While waiting for your doctor’s advice, it is still wise to take all the usual safety precautions: a protective mask, a clean and disinfected environment, a dust extractor, protective gloves, sterilised tools and products that comply with regulations.
Nail enhancements and breastfeeding
As for breastfeeding, there are no issues. As explained above, nothing applied to the nails is absorbed into the body or enters the bloodstream, so after giving birth we can go back to pampering our nails—provided, of course, that we can find the time!
