What to Look For

Attractive and desirable though they are, no nail products are 100 percent safe and nontoxic. You can find products with fewer hazardous chemicals than their conventional counterparts, but try to use these sparingly or save them for special occasions.

Opt for water-based, rather than solvent-based, polishes and removers that pose less of a threat to your respiratory tract. But be aware that these still contain acrylic polymers that could cause dermatitis and nasal irritation, ethyl lactate, which can irritate the skin and respiratory tracts, and polyurethane formers and binders. Toluene diisocyanate (TDI), a component of polyurethane, "can cause airways sensitivity, and reexposure to TDI can cause chemically induced asthma" when inhaled, according to Phil Landrigan and Herbert Needleman in Raising Healthy Children in a Toxic World (Rodale, 2001).

The most effective way to avoid problematic ingredients in nail products is to leave nails natural.

If you do choose to use polishes, keep in mind that even less-toxic polishes should be used with care. "These compounds should be used sparingly in well-ventilated environments," says Luz Claudio, M.D., of the Department of Community & Preventive Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Also, she adds, "because of their developmental stages, children can be exquisitely susceptible to these toxics."

Usage Tips

• Pregnant women should avoid all nail polish.

• Do not paint the nails of infants, toddlers or children who still put their fingers in their mouths.

• Try to discourage teenagers from painting their nails, as teens are particularly susceptible to hormone-disrupting chemicals during puberty.

• Avoid touching your nails until you are sure they are dry to avoid contact dermatitis.

• Make sure to keep all nail care products out of reach of children and pets.

• Nail polish and nail polish removers are considered household hazardous wastes and should be disposed of accordingly. See earth911.org for disposal sites near you.