Hey, You Know Those Fragrances Stores Use to Lure You Inside?

[NYC_SKP]

2. I don't know how nail salon workers manage to live more than a few months.

The smell of acetone and other solvents prevents me from spending more than a minute inside one.

Products used in nail salons can contain many chemicals that can have serious health effects.

Some potentially hazardous chemicals, the types of products they can be found in, and how they can affect a worker include:

Acetone (nail polish remover): headaches; dizziness; and irritated eyes, skin, and throat.
Acetonitrile (fingernail glue remover): irritated nose and throat; breathing problems; nausea; vomiting; weakness; and exhaustion.
Butyl acetate (nail polish, nail polish remover): headaches and irritated eyes, skin, nose, mouth, and throat
Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), (nail polish): nausea and irritated eyes, skin, nose, mouth, and throat. Long-term exposures to high concentrations may cause other serious effects.
Ethyl acetate (nail polish, nail polish remover, fingernail glue): irritated eyes, stomach, skin, nose, mouth, and throat; high levels can cause fainting.
Ethyl methacrylate (EMA), (artificial nail liquid): asthma; irritated eyes, skin, nose, and mouth; difficulty concentrating. Exposures while pregnant may affect your child.
Formaldehyde (nail polish, nail hardener): difficulty breathing, including coughing, asthma-like attacks, and wheezing; allergic reactions; irritated eyes, skin, and throat. Formaldehyde can cause cancer.
Isopropyl acetate (nail polish, nail polish remover): sleepiness, and irritated eyes, nose, and throat.
Methacrylic acid (nail primer): skin burns and irritated eyes, skin, nose, mouth, and throat. At higher concentrations, this chemical can cause difficulty breathing.
Methyl methacrylate (MMA), (artificial nail products, though banned for use in many states): asthma; irritated eyes, skin, nose, and mouth; difficulty concentrating; loss of smell.
Quaternary ammonium compounds (disinfectants): irritated skin and nose and may cause asthma.
Toluene (nail polish, fingernail glue): dry or cracked skin; headaches, dizziness, and numbness; irritated eyes, nose, throat, and lungs; damage to liver and kidneys; and harm to unborn children during pregnancy.

For a broader list of potentially dangerous chemicals that may be found in nail salons, read EPA's Protecting the Health of Nail Salon Workers (PDF).