MMA AWARENESS
This information taken from Beauty Tech, Networking Articles.
MMA is in Canada and must be made aware off. It is suspected it is even here in Alberta!. That is the reason I am printing this article for those of you that are unaware of this extreme hazard. Discount salons are not always a deal, it could cost you alot more after surgery and medications are needed.
Helen Gomez of Mississauga, Ont. had her nails done for 2 years at what she considered a reputable salon in Brampton. She repeatedly questioned her nail technician as to the condition of her natural nails and was repeatedly assured that they were fine. Threes years ago, just a few days before Christmas, Gladys decided not to travel to Brampton and chose to have her nails done in Mississauga. When her new technician (Cindy MacNeil) began to perform the service both the technician and Gladys were horrified. As bits of loose MMA-based acrylic came away so did Gladys' natural nail. All of her natural nails were the consistency of wet toilet paper. The MMA was so thick ( in spite of the appearance of thin nails ) that the service took over 3 hours just to remove the enhancements and two years before healthy nails began to emerge. This is a sad reality of MMA enhancements...you don't see the damage until it is too late. It can take up to one year for the nail to replace itself and hopefully it is not permanently deformed.
As the artificial fingernail industries continues to boom brutal competition exists, this causing some salons to lower prices to bring in clients. The Discount Salon is born. MMA is a far cheaper product so overhead is lower and thus the costs are lower to the customer.
MMA is a chemical called Methyl methacrylate.this chemical has been blamed for fungal infections, nail plate damage, nail lose and deformation, lose of sensation in the fingertips and respiratory aliments and other numerous problems FDA declares it to be a poisonous and deleterious (harmful) substance when used on fingernails.
MMA is safely used to make resins, plastics, and specifically plastic dentures. in this case of the dental industry these processes are done outside of the mouth. Once cured, dental composites are safe when placed in contact with human tissues. The exposure rate is also different. Acrylic nails are filled every 2 - 3 weeks. A dental client may only have a few prostheses throughout their lifetime.
Discount salons may offer a full set of nails for $25.00 compared to $50.00 or more at their competitors. Some of the differences can be explained by the low overhead of the discount salons, which often operate in cheap storefronts and rely on poorly trained, low wage technicians. But the main reason for this price difference is the use of MMA which can cost as little as $15.00 a gallon compared to as much as $300.00 for a gallon of EMA ( Ethyl methacrylate, a more expensive and safer bonding liquid)
The problem with MMA is that its atoms are so small that they easily penetrate the skin and nail plate. MMA is a Asensitizer and that can cause irritation and allergic reactions once it is in contact with the skin. EMA is a much safer, larger in atomic size, and doesn't damage nail plates. It is also hundreds of times less likely to cause allergic reactions.
While it is the incredible strength of MMA enhancements that attracts some users, it is not appropriate or safe for use on soft nail tissue. MMA - based products have extremely poor adhesion. For enhancements to adhere, the natural nail plate receives severe abrasions (horizontal grooves carved by a large oversized drill bit). The nail plate must be overly filled (drilled) and excessively thin before the methyl methacrylate artificial nail is applied. It is this dangerous strength that increases the potential for nail damage when applied to the weakened nail plate. If the nail breaks the whole nail plate may be removed. Women have had their natural nails ripped out ( sometimes permanently) because the MMA acrylic did not break off when exposed to trauma.
Salons using large or oversized brushes in order to save time, make beads of acrylic that are far to wet! The belly of a large brush can carry enough liquid for 4 medium wet beads ( or three nails )!. This means the product, which may appear to be hardened, does not set up in the correct amount of time and the harmful chemical MMA leeches through the nail plate, into the nail bed and then directly into the blood stream. In short, brushes that are too large don't save time, they can lead to serious allergic reactions.
MMA created nail which are not easily removed without causing severe damage to the nail plate. It takes only 30 - 35 minutes to remove a set of EMA-based acrylics by soaking in acetone, but up to 2 hours to remove MMA-based ones. In order to save time, discount salons often pry or nip the acrylic nail off which pulls off layers of natural nail and may injure the matrix (which is crucial in the formation of cells for the new nail ) leading to permanent deformities of the nail.
HAZARD SUMMARY from the Materials Data Safety Sheet
MMA has a strong, sharp, fruity odor and can affect you when breathed in.
It may damage the developing fetus.
Exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose and throat.
MMA can cause a skin allergy
Exposure could damage the nervous system. Systems may include Apins and Needles, numbness, weakness, and changes in the ability to remember and concentrate.
Severe side effects may include abnormal liver or kidney function, nervous system damage and reproductive problems.
Have you been Exposed to MMA ?
Here is how to tell:
Low pricing for acrylic service ( not a special sale or offer )
Acrylic difficult or impossible to remove with acetone or other solvents.
Technicians or management secretive about acrylic product brands used. Just because they have a Name brand polish in the salon does not mean they are using that brand of acrylic. Ask to see the original containers ( these should not look old or refilled )
Technicians often wear masks to prevent inhalation of the powerful distinct odor - Noxious, sharp and Fruity.
Based on available information, I believe knowingly using MMA is irresponsibly endangering the client's health. It is inexpensive to buy and its use is obviously driven by greed and not professional concern for clients.
When in doubt, pick a knowledgeable, reputable technician and choose UV Gel Nails, Silkwraps, Fiberglass or a Natural Nail Manicure. Ask many questions and if the tech cannot answer them to your satisfaction choose another salon. It's your health that is at stake.
FINAL NOTE:
MMA is NOT a known carcinogenic (non-cancer)
MMA will be present in almost every acrylic powder on the market. This is entirely acceptable. Only
MMA in it's liquid form is dangerous. MMA in acrylic powders is "poly-methyl methacrylate"
(PMMA). Nail glues, wraps, and gels also have a small amount of solid PMMA, this is also
acceptable in this chemical state. "..nail remover solutions will NOT break [PMMA] down into
harmful free MMA molecules. Therefore, there is no reason to fear nail powders that contain
PMMA."
If you should have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact myself at the email below.