Shellac during pregnancy: is it harmful?

Shellac is a popular nail polish. It is very popular with all girls and women. A manicure with such a coating can be both everyday and festive. With it, the hands look neat and well-groomed for quite a long time, as this gel polish stays on the nails for about 3 weeks.

Many women are interested in the question, is Shellac dangerous during pregnancy or not? After all, while working with the coating, chemical odors are released that cannot be called useful. That is, theoretically, they can have a negative impact on the unborn baby. Let's deal with this issue in full.

Shellac features

Shellac gel polish was the first to appear on our market. And to date, its popularity has not only not fallen, but has increased. After all, Shellac is easy to apply, practically does not contain harmful substances, unlike other nail coatings. And it’s easy to remove it - the procedure does not require painful sawing.

However, this tool has not only pluses, but also minuses. For example, not all women in a position are ready to sit under a lamp for a long time, and the smell of the applied substance cannot be called pleasant. In addition, the individual characteristics of the body are different for everyone, that is, what suits one girl is contraindicated for another.

Professionals have long appreciated Shellac gel polish. Of course, it is more expensive than similar products from other companies, but much better.

pros

Experts say that if you use high-quality gel polish during pregnancy, it will not be toxic and dangerous. Moreover, applying Shellac has many advantages for those women who are in position:

1. The substances contained in the varnish are not able to penetrate the child through the nail plate, that is, they cannot harm him.
2. Unlike the extension procedure, when applying gel polish, you do not need to grind off the top layer of the nail.
3. The unpleasant smell when applied is the same as that of a regular varnish, nothing more.
4. Shellac lasts long enough, which means that you do not need to go for a manicure every week - it is enough to do this procedure at least once a month.
5. To remove such a coating, a special wash will be required, that is, the manicure will not be damaged if it is constantly exposed to detergents.
6. This gel polish allows you to treat the nail plate or grow long and beautiful nails. Manicure looks fresh for a long time, it will not lose its shine even with frequent washing of dishes or hand washing.
7. The nails will breathe, because the product has a porous structure, although dense, which allows air to penetrate through it.
8. Applying gel polish allows the girl to feel beautiful, which means her mood rises. For such a long period as pregnancy, it will be very unpleasant to look at groomed nails.

The presented characteristics indicate that Shellac gel polish can be applied during pregnancy. But to say that it has absolutely no minuses is impossible.

Pregnancy is not a reason to "launch" yourself. But at the same time, if you want to do yourself a manicure / pedicure, then you will have to choose only good material, and not give preference to cheap ones.

Cons of Shellac

Despite all its obvious advantages, the disadvantages of the coating are still present. Let's consider them in more detail:

• Shellac coating is very susceptible to deformation when exposed to hot water. That is, while taking a bath, when the nail plate expands, and the gel polish begins to stretch along with it, some deformation occurs, which leads to cracks. These cracks can become a breeding ground for pathogenic bacteria that can cause various diseases of the nail plate and skin.
• For some pregnant women, the presented manicure may not hold, especially if it is not made in the salon and not carefully processed. A quality procedure is expensive.
• Applying varnish takes a very long time. In total, the procedure takes at least an hour, and not all pregnant women can withstand such time in a room soaked with different smells. In addition, when applying each layer, you will have to sit still under an ultraviolet lamp.
• Gel polish is removed with a special liquid that smells unpleasant. It can cause nausea or an allergic reaction. Therefore, it is important that the cabin has good ventilation and a comfortable chair.
• The master you contacted should only use a well-sterilized instrument.
• Some substances that may be in gel polish are dangerous to the body. This is formaldehyde, which can harm the child, as well as camphor oil, which causes uterine tone. Toluene, which has a narcotic effect, can also cause harm, and also provokes hypoxia of the mother and child.

There is an opinion that a lamp used for applying a special coating can be harmful. It is impossible to use an ultraviolet lamp for more than a year and a half, otherwise it will cease to give the effect of drying nails in 2 minutes. As a result, when using it, the nail plates will be overdried. At the same time, it is recommended to use sunscreens during fixing the coating under the lamp in order to protect yourself from the harmful carcinogenic effects that the equipment gives.

Removal of gel polish

Pregnant women need to remove the coating carefully, using a high-quality liquid. Do not use acetone! It is very harmful for girls in position. Its use may have adverse effects on the nervous system.

Moreover, acetone will definitely dry out the nail plate, as it will wash away the protective fatty layer. The best option for removing varnish will be a product that contains vitamins and calcium. They will only benefit the nails.

Risks

The use of Shellac may have some risks. This is not related to bearing a child, but due to hormonal changes in a woman's body. So, pregnant women may be allergic to some cosmetics. Often their body begins to reject foundation, hair dye and even varnish. Therefore, even professional Shellac gel polish can fail. For example, if you do a manicure, it can immediately begin to peel off. As a result, after a couple of days it will not remain on the nails. And the master will not be to blame for this, but those hormonal changes that occur in the girl.

In addition, the body of the expectant mother begins to rebuild. Accordingly, an unpleasant odor can cause her nausea or an allergic reaction. After the first trimester, you can paint your nails no more than once a month.

The procedure is not suitable for pregnant women with weakened immune systems. Among other things, it should not be carried out by those who suffer from:

• Injuries of the nail plates.
• Bundles of nails.
• Individual intolerance.
• fungus.
• Takes antibiotics.

Otherwise, the application of Shellac is allowed. Doctors confirm that it does not cause severe harm to pregnant women.

You should still refuse to color your nails in the first trimester. At this time, some important organs and systems of the unborn child are laid, and then it can be harmed.

Counterfeit Definition

For the procedure to be harmless, you must learn to recognize a fake. Real Shellac gel polish is either sold in specialized stores or in salons. It contains no hazardous substances, and it does not have an unpleasant odor.

Original nail polish bottles have a whitish-yellow label, while counterfeit products have a golden flower. There must be an indented seal on the bottle. If it is not there, you have a fake in front of you.

The procedure for applying Shellac has its advantages and disadvantages. If a pregnant woman nevertheless decided to do it, she should heed some advice. So she will not harm herself and the unborn baby:

1. Before the procedure, it is recommended to lubricate the hands with a nourishing cream.
2. Lacquer and other products should not contain toluene or formaldehyde.
3. The cabin must have access to fresh air.
4. The chair should be extremely comfortable.
5. Gel polish must be of high quality. A non-professional product can be identified by a bottle without labels and an unpleasant odor. A license plate must be present at the bottom of the bottle, if it is not there, it is better not to agree to the service.
6. Do not contact the masters who do the work at home. They just can't handle the tools well.

So, the use of this gel polish during pregnancy is not prohibited. However, for the application, you will have to choose a conscientious specialist in order to protect yourself and the child from trouble. Otherwise, the coating on the nails will make it easier to care for them, which will greatly facilitate the life of a woman in position.

Nevertheless, you should not rely on one gel polish. In order for a manicure to be attractive, you should eat properly and balanced, use vitamins.

During pregnancy, women need silicon, iron, calcium and iodine, which must come from food. A good effect for the treatment of nails will give baths of soda and salt. And so that the nail plates do not exfoliate, it is recommended to wash the dishes and do housework with rubber gloves.