Why was MMA in nail products targeted by the FDA?
The FDA received consumer complaints of rashes, contact dermatitis, nail damage, loss of natural nails and nerve damage. If you check Material Safety Data Sheets , they mention potential eye, skin, nose and throat irritation from prolonged exposure to MMA and severe side effects could include liver, kidney, reproductive and central nervous system damage. (Schoon points out, however, that 20 years ago, when the MSDS data was gathered, MMA contained many more impurities than it does today. The same was true of lanolin, he says; today, lanolin allergies are rare.) Why is MMA harmful to nails? “The very same things that make MMA good for some purposes make it bad for nails,” explains Eric Schwartz, CEO of OPI Products, Inc., and chairman of the Nail Manufacturer’s Council Safety Standards Committee. “It is so strong and so difficult to remove that if your hand suffered a trauma, you would risk losing your natural nail along with the enhancement.” According to OPI’s co-director of R & D, Pa
