A woman's desire to be attractive and stylish at any time of her life, including during pregnancy, is quite natural and deserves respect. But with the onset of the "interesting situation" a lot changes - there are restrictions in nutrition, physical activity, there are also certain restrictions on the use of cosmetics. In this article, we will tell you whether it is permissible to cover your nails with gel polish when carrying a baby, how to do it, and what you need to know in the pursuit of beauty.
What it is?
Gel polish is not an ordinary nail polish, but a long-lasting, long-lasting manicure. Gel polishes became popular not so long ago, and therefore not all of their characteristics are thoroughly known. This is one of the reasons why doctors do not recommend using gel polishes for pregnant women. It should be noted right away that the instructions are advisory in nature, there is no strict prohibition.
The composition of the gel polish raises concerns among doctors of different specialties, after all, this decorative coating cannot be precisely called safe. The composition contains esters of benzoic acid, which, under the influence of UV rays, create a hard and long-lasting coating on the nails.
There are special substances - film formers, acrylic acid esters, coloring pigments and additives. It is the additives that cause the greatest concern, because among them there are toxic formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, and a pungent smelling camphor.
Positive and negative sides
pros from the use of gel polish are obvious: the woman's handles look well-groomed, such a manicure does not require frequent visits to the master from her, because the gel polish lasts a long time and looks very presentable. Many nail service masters claim that the harmful substances in the decorative coating cannot penetrate the nail plate so deeply as to affect the child. Compared with building with acrylic or gel, the application of gel polish is more gentle, and therefore for pregnant manicurists such a tool is considered not only relatively harmless, but also useful, referring to the fact that nails, whose condition worsens when carrying a child, with gel varnish become more durable.
Medical specialists are not so optimistic. They argue that some of the components of the gel polish can be dangerous and affect not only the coating of the nail, the plate, but also the body of the pregnant woman systemically. In particular, formaldehyde, which increases the wearing period of decorative coatings, is not only a preservative, but also a poisonous substance with a pronounced carcinogenic effect. It is quite capable of penetrating through the nail plate and gradually accumulating in the body over time. It causes allergies, with frequent use it destroys the nail plate. Toluene affects the nervous system, can cause increased toxicosis, cause nausea, dizziness. Dibutyl phthalate affects the endocrine system, skin, and respiratory organs.
All these substances are able to penetrate the placental barrier. And they are especially dangerous in the first trimester of pregnancy, since embryogenesis processes take place in the early stages - the organs and systems of the baby are laid, which then will only grow during the two remaining thirds of the gestation period.
Does all of the above mean that it is better to refuse gel polish in preparation for the birth of a child? Each woman should answer this question independently, weighing all the pros and cons.
To make an informed decision, you need not only to consult an obstetrician-gynecologist on this issue, but also pay attention to the composition of a particular brand of varnish. There are manufacturers who use harmful and toxic substances in abundance in their product, there are manufacturers who are trying to minimize the negative impact. You can use such gel polishes, but only if a number of important conditions are met:
- pregnancy is more than 12 weeks;
- the procedure is carried out in compliance with hygienic requirements;
- to remove gel polish, solvents, acetone-containing substances and other agents are not used, which in themselves can be much more harmful than varnish;
- use should not be constant, regular, without interruption, nails need rest.
To close the question of harm, it is worth considering several popular opinions that women share with each other on thematic forums on the Internet.
- The UV lamp is dangerous during pregnancy - it is not. The radiation under such a lamp is several times less than just in the open sun on a summer day, moreover, a woman is not placed under the radiation entirely to her full height, but only with the tips of her fingers, the exposure time is insignificant. There is nothing to fear.
- Gel polish on the nails of a pregnant woman will not hold. During childbearing, the woman's endocrine system, indeed, undergoes large-scale restructuring, which theoretically may affect the quality of hair and nail dyeing, but in practice, a proven clear relationship is not traced. According to the reviews of women, the gel polish lies quite evenly, in some cases it has to be removed a little earlier, since it begins to be damaged.
- The child may have hypoxia from gel polish. The child in the mother's womb breathes in a peculiar way - it receives oxygen from the mother's blood through the system of uteroplacental and placental-fetal blood flow. The presence of varnish on a woman's nails limits the local "breathing" of only the nail plates, which does not in any way affect the state of her blood, the amount of hemoglobin in her. Therefore, intrauterine fetal hypoxia due to the fact that the mother paints her nails with gel polish is impossible.
- The expectant mother may be allergic to varnish. But this is true. Endocrine changes may well cause a woman's inadequate immune response to some of the components of the decorative coating, even if nothing like this was observed before pregnancy.
But for some reason, women also believe that nail products with the prefixes “bio” or “eco” in their names are safe. Nothing like this. Such attachments do not in the least exclude the presence of harmful substances in the decorative coating.
Remember, even the best, expensive and recommended by the master gel polish does not guarantee that the coating will not harm the expectant mother with regular and systematic use. Everything is good in moderation.
The correct conditions for the procedure
During pregnancy, a woman should, more than ever, be attentive to the rules of procedure for applying gel polish and removing it. To minimize the risks of negative impact, manicure should be done only by a master who does not neglect cleanliness and hygiene standards. You should carefully process the nail plate, cuticle before applying varnish. Cover the nails with a not too thick layer of varnish, be sure to warn the master about your pregnancy so that he accelerates his actions as much as possible, then you will not have to inhale the “aroma” of gel polish for a long time.
Every month you need to cover your nails again, after 2 months you should take a break for 3-4 weeks. This is important for restoring the nail plate, improving its condition.
If the nails become weak under the influence of pregnancy hormones, the woman's body lacks calcium, first you need to be treated, get a doctor's prescription for hypocalcemia, and only then go for a manicure. Pregnant women are allowed and strongly encouraged to use medicated oils and varnishes that are sold in pharmacies.
The very procedure for applying varnish does not differ from the traditional one. First, the nails are treated, the surface is leveled, then treated with a base, only after that gel polish is applied and dried in a UV lamp.
The opinion of doctors
Doctors of different specialties have not yet come to a consensus on whether or not gel polish can be used during pregnancy. Corresponding clinical trials are not conducted and have never been conducted before, this is not the responsibility of manufacturers of cosmetics, because gel polish is not a medicine. At the same time, there is no data on actual complaints associated specifically with manicure. Pregnant women who have pregnancy pathologies or fetal malformations and their doctors do not even think of trying to connect the problem of the health of the mother or child with the woman's use of gel polish for manicure.
No doctor - no obstetrician-gynecologist, no dermatologist, no allergist, no neonatologist will provide you with official data on harm or harmlessness. If there were no tests, there is no evidence to draw conclusions. The doctor can simply express his opinion to the expectant mother in response to her question.
Some doctors are sure that the decorative coating will not harm the mother and child in any way, and therefore they do not prohibit their patients from manicure with the use of gel polish. Others insist that the woman refuse to use the drug at least during the first trimester.
And also doctors warn against covering nails with gel polish before childbirth - it is better to come to the hospital with clean, neatly trimmed nails, devoid of any decorative coating. The fact is that the color of nails in childbirth can be an informative sign of urgent conditions associated with circulatory disorders (their cyanosis can tell the doctor about the problem before the laboratory blood tests are ready). Cutting your nails is important not at all in order not to scratch the newborn (although this too!), But also in order to reduce the likelihood of bacterial postpartum complications, because bacteria can accumulate under the nails, which, when penetrating into the genital tract (when washing, changing pads) can cause severe inflammation.
For information on what you need to know about nail gel polish during pregnancy, see the next video.
