Gel nail polish

Nurses Activism

Published

Please direct me to the research that state that gel nail polish poses an infection risk.

Specializes in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.

This is one of the studies that my facility uses as evidence to base their policy on restricting people in direct patient care areas from wearing acrylic nails or gels or having long natural nails: Candida Osteomyelitis and Diskitis after Spinal Surgery: An Outbreak That Implicates Artificial Nail Use | Clinical Infectious Diseases | Oxford Academic

It's a case study, but still....

Candida osteomyelitis...blech. I read the title and, though I was fine and understood that acrylics, gels, chipped polish and long nails can harbor gnarly bacteria, that pushed it over the top for me.

Now, in the real world most people who want to wear polish, gels or acrylics still do, but they are aware of the risk. It may not be the worst risk but it's there, even if the facility doesn't go out of their way to enforce the policy.

Why the hell are you worried about gel nails anyway, that crap isn't even good for them..

I think she's asking about gel polish not gel nails. There's a big difference. Gel polish is not a nail enhancement in the sense that gel/acrylic nails are. It's just polish that cures by light rather than by air. If kept in good condition it's no worse than regular polish (might be better because it's much more chip resistant). I'm not saying that it's okay just clarifying the difference.

I wonder if any studies have been done about Shellac, which is what I get done. It's just a polish/gel polish hybrid painted on and cured. Off to google.

Specializes in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.
I wonder if any studies have been done about Shellac, which is what I get done. It's just a polish/gel polish hybrid painted on and cured. Off to google.

Essentially, anything that is artificial and does not occur naturally on the human body has the potential for providing environments for microorganisms, particularly gnarly ones, to thrive. The purpose of alcohol-based sanitizers and minimum 15-sec hand washing with soap and water is diminished when artificial anything (polish, acrylics, gels, hybrids, etc.) is involved.

Question:

Can health care personnel wear ultraviolet (UV)-cured nail polish (eg, gel, Shellac®) in the perioperative setting?

Answer:

Ultraviolet (UV)-cured nail polish (eg, gel, Shellac) should not be worn in the perioperative setting. There have been no published research studies on the risks and benefits of health care personnel wearing these types of nail polish. Because of the lack of evidence on the potential patient harm that could result from health care workers wearing these types of nail polish, and because of their chemical similarities to artificial nail compounds, an abundance of caution should be taken until research is conducted that demonstrates whether these products are safe to use in health care settings. Artificial nails, including extensions or tips, gels and acrylic overlays, resin wraps, or acrylic fingernails, should not be worn by perioperative personnel.

and

The concern with wearing UV-cured nail polishes is that the gaps that develop between the polish and the cuticle at the base of the nail could harbor microorganisms, in much the same way bacteria collect in artificial nails that are worn for an extended period, although this has not been investigated in the literature.5 Ultraviolet-cured nail polish has the potential for lifting, which can occur when polish is applied over the cuticle, which continues to grow. Cuticle growth lifts up the polish and creates gaps that may harbor microorganisms, which cannot be effectively removed with hand hygiene. Microfractures in long-lasting nail polish are also a concern because of the potential for the cracks to become a reservoir for pathogens.

Wood, A. (2015). Ultraviolet (UV)-cured nail polish. AORN Journal, 101(6), 701-704. doi:10.1016/j.aorn.2015.03.004

Granted, this is from the AORN's clinical journal so their primary concern is with peri-, intra- and post-op situations where the patient's normal defenses are severely compromised. But, I work in hemonc and, while some people may blow off the risk of having chipped polish or wearing gels (or, wearing their natural nails longer than the recommended max of 1/4") while providing patient care, I'm not down with that risk, especially when we have a 0% line infection rate to defend.

Can't resist the gel nail polish

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