title: [Cosmetic nail products].
abstract: Cosmetic embellishment of fingernails involves the use of substance that harden either after the evaporation of solvents (varnishes) or after polymerisation (artificial acrylic nails, gel tips, glue-on artificial nails). Pathological reactions to cosmetics usually occur at a remote site for varnishes, and, most commonly, in situ with polymerising substances. Unvarnished artificial nails do not affect pulse oximetry readings, and in theory, patients are not required to remove them. However, a real problem of contamination via artificial nails exists. Increased carriage of pathological Gram-negative organisms and of Staphylococcus aureus and yeasts has been noted among nursing staff wearing artificial nails, both before and after fingernail cleaning. Fingernail fragility manifests itself through a number of different physical signs such as soft, breaking nails, with longitudinal or transverse fissures, showing distal doubling or friability. In some subjects, excessive manicuring with metal instruments or manicure sticks results in rolled onycholysis, of evocative appearance, or transverse onycholysis.
authors.affiliation: Centre de diagnostic et traitement des maladies des ongles, 42, rue des Serbes, 06400 Cannes, France. Electronic address: baran.r@wanadoo.fr.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baran
authors.affiliation: 5, villa Boileau, 75016 Paris, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goettmann
authors.affiliation: Département interhospitalier de dermatologie, CHU Brugmann-HUDERF, CHU Saint-Pierre, 322, rue Haute, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgique.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: André
mesh_terms: D003358:Cosmetics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D009260:Nail Diseases / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D003358:Cosmetics
keywords: Adhesive nails; Artificial nails; Complications des cosmétiques unguéaux; Complications of cosmetic nail products; Gels unguéaux; Nail gels; Ongles adhésifs; Ongles artificiels; Ongles façonnés; Ongles sculptés; Sculpted nails; Shaped nails; Varnish; Vernis