NEED TO KNOW: MMA AND EMA ACRYLIC

Introduction

The dangers and health hazards of Methyl methacrylate (MMA) have been researched and proven to be unsafe for use in nail products since far back as 1978 by the FDA. It is commonly used by dentists to make crowns and bridges for their patients, also by surgeons for bone repairs and plastic surgeries.

 

METHYL METHACRYLATE (MMA)

Methyl methacrylate is an acrylic monomer, it can also be found in some acrylic powder used for nails, the liquid on it’s own is very harmful but its even more dangerous when it is used together with acrylic powder on the nails.

Some nail technicians use this MMA liquid because it doesn’t lift from the nail plate as it causes extreme adhesion and is highly prohibited as it can rip off the entire nail if any accident occurs. Other MMA related effect include numbness, skin allergy, permanent loss of nails etc, and if mixed with other substances like acrylic powder can trigger asthma or other respiratory allergic responses.

This is very dangerous because the moment it adheres to the nail plate it becomes hard as concrete which cannot be easily broken, that is why they use excessive filing either using e-files or manually to beat it down to shape. It is also resistant to dissolving (acetone soak off) which makes it hard to remove.

Another reason some of these salons still use it is because it is very cheap to purchase and that’s why some of them still offer relatively cheap services.

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Even if we want our nails to last long because we have paid for it, we also want to be able to safely remove them without causing any damage to our natural nails or to ourselves, but with MMA you cannot totally guarantee that.

 

ETHYL METHACRYLATE (EMA)

Ethyl methacrylate is a type of acrylic liquid that can be found in most acrylic systems. It is completely safe for use by trained technicians and doesn’t cause any damage to the nails or the body. Even though the EMA liquid has an odour, the MMA has a different smell and one can easily tell the difference as it has a strong and an unbearable smell that could affect you physically.

Care must be taken in the work space even when using EMA.

Some of the things to note to avoid the use of MMA

• Only visit nail technicians you trust their products and services,
• Any unusual strong or unbearable smell that has negative physical effect,
• Extensions that are extremely difficult to file,
• Extensions that do not remove or takes too long to soak off even in pure acetone,
• Nail technicians with dodgy products e.g. unlabelled or very old containers and can’t boldly defend their products.

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FACTS ABOUT YOUR NAILS YOU SHOULD KNOW

It may shock you to know your nails are made up of more than you can see physically, i will be sharing some facts you should know about your nails.

Nail Component

The nail is made up of keratin which can also be found in hair and skin. The nails have the hardest form of keratin (hardened protective protein) and the skin has the softest. The visible part of the nails is called the nail plate made of translucent keratin protein and the pink skin underneath is the nail bed.

The nail bed sends signals to the brain when any accident occurs on the nail because the nail plate itself has no nerve ending or blood vessel.

Nail History

According to Nailpro Magazine, the love for lengthy and pretty nails first started during China’s Ming dynasty (1368-1644). The aristocratic women did no house chores or manual activities and were identified by their nails which they grew up to 10 inches long.  During that time gold and silver polishes were used by the wealthy and influential alone. The Chinese men also grew long nails to guard themselves from evil and also to show their masculinity.

 Nail Form

“When the nail plate absorbs water, it expands and changes shape before the polish is applied,” explains CND co-founder and style director Jan Arnold. “Once the water evaporates, the nail returns to its original shape/size, and this often results in chipping.” Shocking right!? So if you ever wonder why your polish never stays on this is probably one of the reasons why.

Nail growth

Fingernails grow an average of 3.5 millimeters per month, whereas toenails grow an average of 1.6 millimeters a month.

Nails and Temperature

Did you know that nails grow faster in the summer and in warm conditions? In Nigeria where we have summer almost all year round i would expect that we should all be walking around with very long nails but unfortunately i doubt thats the case!  Anyway, bear in mind that there are other factors that can affect nail growth like age, genes, nutrition etc.

Male vs Female

Nails grow faster in males than females with exception to pregnant women. Funny how men don’t need length to their nails as much as women but there they are getting strong and long nail, rolling my eyes at this one!

Nails grow faster on dominant hand

The fingernails on the right hand of a right handed person grow faster than those on their left hand, and vice versa because the nails that are used more often grow faster, but I know some people will disagree with that.

Nail sweating

Did you know that unlike every other part of your body your nails are the only part that do not sweat because they don’t contain any nerve ending or blood vessels?

 

 Nail drying technique

I am sorry to burst your bubble on this one but no water doesn’t actually dry your nail polish! I can imagine the shock, did you know that polish dries when the solvents within the formula evaporates, so putting them in water will only slow or stop the drying process.

 

 

Cuticle and Nails

There are a lot of misconceptions about the cuticle which I will be writing on in my next blog post but did you know that your cuticle is like a “security guard” for your nail bed? The cuticle helps hold in moisture and keeps the nail strong also prevents germs and dirt from your nail bed that can cause serious diseases and infections.

 Nails can be the eye of your health

Your nails can tell about your health from any discoloration or deformation. This could be signs of a problem that will need immediate medical check up, so take care of your nails, be careful handling your nails and be observant of any changes.

 Your nails are what you eat

I don’t mean that literally but the vitamins and nutrients you need can only reach your nails through your blood streams so what you eat can greatly improve your nails, for strong and healthy looking nails a balanced diet is a must as it will have good impact on the growth and strength of your nails.

White spots on your nails are not caused by any form of deficiency

“Calcium deficiency causing white spots on nails is the most common myth, followed by zinc deficiency. The truth is that white spots are common and harmless and don’t indicate any specific vitamin deficiency at all,” Krant says. This could be caused by an accident or trauma to the nail plate.

I hope you learnt a thing or two because i did while putting this together. Comment below if you know any other nail facts that wasn’t mentioned here or if you can relate with any of these, would love to hear from you.

XOXO

Sarah James.

 

 

 

 

 

FIRST POST/WHAT DOES YOUR NAIL SHAPE SAY ABOUT YOU?

Hello everyone,

I am super excited that this vision has finally come to reality!

As an Artist specialized in Nail Artistry I knew I needed a platform to document and showcase more than my social media platforms already do I just didnt know how to go about it but I thank God we are here now.

There is more to Nail Artistry that a lot of people don’t know that I would love to share with you. I will also be sharing some other areas of my life that I feel will interest you.

Please comment below if there is anything you want me to talk about concerning any of the topics I have in my menu or a nail tutorial you will like to see or learn.

Please do join me on this beautiful and exciting journey as we live and discover together!

Your nail shape says a few things about you, read on to find out!

Natural nails or extensions we all have a nail shape that works for us. I have worked with several clients and I have some that are willing to try a new shape with every set and I have some that come rain or sun they are sticking to the same nail shape.

You will agree with me that when you meet someone you immediately try to form an opinion by how they look… Another way to know a bit about a person is through their nail shape shocking right?! Your nail shape says a lot about you which are often times accurate. Here is a compilation of the different nail shapes and what they say about you, lets get right into it!

Square nails

You prefer comfort and chill to anything dramatic. You are a bit stubborn and you don’t like change very much and would rather opt for a movie and chill in bed to trying a new spot in town. You don’t mind doing things one way for a long period of time.

Squoval

You are a bit more laid back and easy going, easy to please. Easy to talk to and flow well with people. You have a  great sense of humour. Flexible thinking, quite indifferent about change.

Round

Classic, practical and easy. You like simplicity and seeks peace and harmony. You are very consistent. This shape also seems to be the go to shape.

Oval

Poised and sophisticated, you are orderly and your make up and outfit weirdly stays perfect all day long. Non-aggressive and you avoid confrontation. Just like your personality you are drawn to anything elegant and classy. This nail shape is super low maintenance.

Almond

You are quite adventurous but practical, you are the girl to go out with a change of shoes or outfit just in case… loves to try new and creative things but always cautious. Classy yet demure. Your taste and style is modern and quality.

Ballerina

You are confident and feminine, your style is edgy and chic but still practical. This shape can be worn by almost every woman but is quite difficult to maintain. You find some nails turning into almond some weeks into your manicure for some weird reasons.

Stiletto

Innovative, creative, free spirited and adventurous. You like the spotlight; you love to turn heads with your style. You are not afraid to be yourself. With stiletto nails typing and texting becomes almost impossible but the mere sight of your nails is satisfaction enough to keep going. They say women who wear stiletto nails do little or nothing with their hands do you agree?

Which nail shape(s) best describe you and what shape are you wearing now? For me my nail shape depends on my mood, sometimes i’m feeling squoval, sometimes stilettos but you would typically find me wearing almond most of the time.