Opti
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Post by Opti on May 8, 2015 12:15:30 GMT -5
Found this scary and shocking and perhaps even something to think about if you go to nail salons often. Did not know it was this bad.
www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/perfect-nails-poisoned-workers/ar-BBjpnK3?ocid=iehp
Similar stories of illness and tragedy abound at nail salons across the country, of children born slow or “special,” of miscarriages and cancers, of coughs that will not go away and painful skin afflictions. The stories have become so common that older manicurists warn women of child-bearing age away from the business, with its potent brew of polishes, solvents, hardeners and glues that nail workers handle daily.
A growing body of medical research shows a link between the chemicals that make nail and beauty products useful — the ingredients that make them chip-resistant and pliable, quick to dry and brightly colored, for example — and serious health problems.
Whatever the threat the typical customer enjoying her weekly French tips might face, it is a different order of magnitude, advocates say, for manicurists who handle the chemicals and breathe their fumes for hours on end, day after day. They Cannot Breathe’
The walls of Dr. Charles Hwu’s second-story office in Flushing, Queens, are decorated with Chinese calligraphy, gifts from patients he has cared for from cradle to adulthood. Over his decades as an internist in this predominantly Asian enclave, Dr. Hwu has repeatedly encountered a particular set of conditions affecting otherwise healthy women.
“They come in usually with breathing problems, some symptoms similar to an allergy, and also asthma symptoms — they cannot breathe,” he said during a break between patients this winter. “Judging from the symptoms with these women, it seems that they are either smokers, secondhand smokers or asthma patients, but they are none of the above. They work for nail salons.”
Thoughts?
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on May 8, 2015 12:16:43 GMT -5
DD and her girls are going to the salon today for a mani/pedi. The Spring Formal is tomorrow night.
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Angel!
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Post by Angel! on May 8, 2015 12:19:09 GMT -5
I'm not surprised, the smell of the chemicals is usually incredibly strong at nail salons. It can't be good for your health.
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shanendoah
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Post by shanendoah on May 8, 2015 12:29:31 GMT -5
The ladies at the salon I work for wear masks to help keep them from breathing in some of the dust. Don't know if those help with the chemicals or not. The place I go is also REALLY well ventilated. (Which is good because while I am not chemically sensitive, living with someone who is, has made me more sensitive to smells.) But I totally believe that breathing in those chemicals all the time is not good for them.
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chen35
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Post by chen35 on May 8, 2015 12:32:01 GMT -5
This doesn't shock me. I've wondered about it from time to time. I also wonder about the people who do hair. All of that hair dye can't be good to be around constantly.
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NancysSummerSip
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Post by NancysSummerSip on May 8, 2015 12:42:35 GMT -5
Depends on the salon. The ones who spend the money and use the more modern products have less issues. Many older salons are still using solvents and polish removers with things like formaldehyde in them. The key is to know before you go. Ask, or better yet, step in and take a whiff. In a good, modern salon, you should smell almost nothing in the mani/pedi area. That's a good sign. If there's a strong chemical odor, turn around and leave. That's a sign that they are still using formaldehyde-based products. From OSHA ( www.osha.gov/SLTC/nailsalons/chemicalhazards.html) Steps to Prevent Exposures and Protect Worker Health
Employers and workers can take steps to protect health when working with products that contain potentially hazardous chemicals.
Choose Safer Products and Read about the Products Being Used
Whenever possible, use products with the least hazardous chemicals in them. 3-free: Some products now claim to be made without the "toxic trio" (toluene, formaldehyde, and dibutyl phthalate). These products are called "3-free" products. Acid free: Some primers claim to be made without chemicals like methacrylic acid. These are labeled "acid free." For any product used in your salon, be aware of the health effects it may cause and how to prevent overexposure. Always read product labels and MSDSs and follow manufacturers' instructions when using all nail salon products, including those labeled as "free" of hazardous chemicals. MSDSs may not contain all of the information needed to adequately protect yourself, e.g., the manufacturer may state "wear impervious gloves" without specifying the type of glove material needed.
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on May 8, 2015 12:45:49 GMT -5
I'm not surprised by this... but, I always thought of this kind of job as somewhat 'temporary' meaning it was a stepping stone to something else. I know there's alot of 'abuse' in the way of wages and treatment of the women who work at these salons - in that they are immigrants so the business owner may not pay minimum wage along with other work place abuses. But, again, I was assuming there would be a high turn over rate... and sometimes you do have to suffer thru that first crappy (but not lot life threatening) job to 'get your foot in the door' so you can move on to a better job.
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Opti
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Post by Opti on May 8, 2015 12:54:12 GMT -5
I'm sure you are right Nancy, but if the article example is true, most salons aren't all that safe.
California proposed banning DBP from cosmetic products sold or manufactured in the state. Industry lobbyists flooded the State Capitol (some bearing gift baskets of lipstick and nail polish), spending over a half-million dollars fighting the ban, according to state records. Some of the country’s best-known cosmetics companies — Estée Lauder, Mary Kay and OPI, among others — weighed in against it. The bill ultimately failed. A much more limited measure passed — over the industry’s objections — that required cosmetics companies to disclose certain hazardous chemicals to the California Department of Public Health.
Blocked by an industry with deep pockets, the California advocates say they had to scale back their goals. They introduced a grass-roots program that officially recognizes “healthy nail salons,” those that carry “greener” products and that ventilate. The New York City Council held a hearing this month on a measure that would establish a similar voluntary program.
Today, out of several thousand salons in California, however, there are just 55 salons in the program.
One of them is Lulu Nail Spa, a tiny salon with a dusky rose wall and white-leather pedicure chairs in Burlingame, Calif. The shop earned the designation in May by switching certain products, using gloves and opening the doors to sweep out fumes.
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Opti
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Post by Opti on May 8, 2015 12:58:11 GMT -5
I'm not surprised by this... but, I always thought of this kind of job as somewhat 'temporary' meaning it was a stepping stone to something else. I know there's alot of 'abuse' in the way of wages and treatment of the women who work at these salons - in that they are immigrants so the business owner may not pay minimum wage along with other work place abuses. But, again, I was assuming there would be a high turn over rate... and sometimes you do have to suffer thru that first crappy (but not lot life threatening) job to 'get your foot in the door' so you can move on to a better job. Stepping stone to what though? Would that work experience be attractive to other employers?
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justme
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Post by justme on May 8, 2015 13:01:35 GMT -5
It was either the same paper or Washington Post that just ran abb article about nail salons on NYC, though most of their focus was on the horrible pay the immigrants got.
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justme
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Post by justme on May 8, 2015 13:07:27 GMT -5
I'm sure you are right Nancy, but if the article example is true, most salons aren't all that safe.
California proposed banning DBP from cosmetic products sold or manufactured in the state. Industry lobbyists flooded the State Capitol (some bearing gift baskets of lipstick and nail polish), spending over a half-million dollars fighting the ban, according to state records. Some of the country’s best-known cosmetics companies — Estée Lauder, Mary Kay and OPI, among others — weighed in against it. The bill ultimately failed. A much more limited measure passed — over the industry’s objections — that required cosmetics companies to disclose certain hazardous chemicals to the California Department of Public Health.
Blocked by an industry with deep pockets, the California advocates say they had to scale back their goals. They introduced a grass-roots program that officially recognizes “healthy nail salons,” those that carry “greener” products and that ventilate. The New York City Council held a hearing this month on a measure that would establish a similar voluntary program.
Today, out of several thousand salons in California, however, there are just 55 salons in the program.
One of them is Lulu Nail Spa, a tiny salon with a dusky rose wall and white-leather pedicure chairs in Burlingame, Calif. The shop earned the designation in May by switching certain products, using gloves and opening the doors to sweep out fumes.
I wonder whether you have to pay to get into the program. I'm assuming the super ritzy spas there are well ventilated and probably use better products, but they might not worry about the designation because their clientele already know and pay for the privilege. Around me I can tell the difference walking in between the crappy cheap ones and the nicer places where you only know they're doing nails because you can see it. I don't go to the former.
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NancysSummerSip
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Post by NancysSummerSip on May 8, 2015 13:14:26 GMT -5
I am right, and I never suggested that most salons follow the guidelines. That's because they are just that - guidelines, not l'm not targeting immigrants per se, but those salons seem to be the go-to shops for those looking for deals. They keep prices down because they pay workers less and use older and more outdated techniques and products that are also riskier. If you see a sign offering a mani-pedi combo for $20 or $25, trust me...you are not getting good product. Get out of there and find a bargain for something else. Not this.
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HoneyBBQ
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Post by HoneyBBQ on May 8, 2015 13:24:21 GMT -5
Most everything will kill you.
I try to get phtlalate free (sp?) shampoo, make up, and nail stuff (big 3 free).
Plastic you eat off of will kill ya, even BPA free.
Lead/Cadmium in paint and children's toys.
Pesticides on food.
Off gassing of carpets, furniture, etc.
The air you breathe, the food you eat, the stuff you put on your body and keep in your home.
We're pretty much fucked no matter what.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on May 8, 2015 19:30:22 GMT -5
I have had my nails professionally done twice and two pedicures. Never again. I didn't think what they were doing on the pedicures was sanitary. Later, it was in the paper that they had been fined for unsanitary conditions.
Given the way one of my toenails has looked since going there, never, ever again.
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alabamagal
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Post by alabamagal on May 8, 2015 19:53:06 GMT -5
The masks are for sanitary purposes and provide 0 protection from solvents and volatile chemicals
I work in an industry that uses large volumes of solvents and the exposures are WAY less than you get in a nail salon. For a customer that is in there for a short period of time it is not that big of a deal, but it is terrible for the workers.
My DH used to rent a store next to nail salon in the later 1990s and early 2000s. The solvent smell would seep next door. It was terrible. The shop would open the doors to reduce the smell inside.
I do not go to nail salons.
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on May 8, 2015 20:25:09 GMT -5
Allergies and asthma keep me away. I can't stand to even walk by those places.
The only time hair chemicals got me was last time when I dyed it all red. Previously I just did highlights.
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973beachbum
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Post by 973beachbum on May 8, 2015 21:38:45 GMT -5
The article calls it the fox guarding the hen house. the only people looking out for the safety of these cosmetics are the companies that make them. So while some companies did some good PR by saying they would take the worst ones out it was only that. the studies of the cosmetics are still showing those chemicals in the cosmetics.
And they are not breaking any laws by either having those caustic chemicals in the cosmetics in them in the first place, or lying about them not being in them when they really are.
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Regie
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Post by Regie on May 8, 2015 22:57:44 GMT -5
I think that article was part of a series. There was another that discussed the extremely poor treatment of the workers in regard to wages and hours worked.
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8 Bit WWBG
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Post by 8 Bit WWBG on May 9, 2015 12:28:10 GMT -5
I saw this article and agree it is very sad. The few times I've gone to salons, the chemical smell was incredibly intense. If it is that hard to bear for an hour, I can't imagine it 40 hours, week after week... The saddest part was about the miscarriages and children with developmental issues. ...:::"The only time hair chemicals got me was last time when I dyed it all red. Previously I just did highlights.":::... Now on to more pleasant thoughts, like imagining wvugurl26 as a redhead... Sit down, have a smoothie. I have cookies in the oven.
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msventoux
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Post by msventoux on May 9, 2015 16:22:14 GMT -5
I don't go to nail salons either. I have enough trouble walking down the soap aisle in the store, even walking near one of those places is enough to give me a horrible headache. There's one mall I refuse to go to because they have a salon right by the front entrance and the smell is awful.
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Post by Deleted on May 11, 2015 8:33:56 GMT -5
I've never had a professional manicure. Now I'm glad I haven't. When there's pressure to drive the cost of goods and services to their lowest level, someone ends up paying for it; in this case it's the manicurists.
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justme
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Post by justme on May 11, 2015 8:43:44 GMT -5
Now that I think of it, the place where I get my nails done when I do is a brand that is very big into natural items and use their own products. But probably the biggest thing is they don't do acrylic nails. That's probably where the worst chemicals are.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on May 11, 2015 9:47:06 GMT -5
I've needed to partake of salon services regularly since I got sick. I just can't reach my toes to cut my nails. This isn't going to change.
The salon I use seems to be very well ventilated though as I rarely get a whiff of chemicals. I've had more problems walking by Yankee candle at the mall.
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whoami
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Post by whoami on May 11, 2015 15:20:02 GMT -5
My nail salon doesnt smell at all.
All their stuff is autoclaved and they have some fancy system that prevents bacteria in the tubs. Ive seen them clean the tubs after someone leaves and they are thorough.
You bring in your own file or you buy a new one when you go in.
Nobody wears masks.
My usual pedicure is $38 and I tip $10.
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on May 11, 2015 15:21:54 GMT -5
Would it be better to shut them all down so they could be unemployed?
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Post by Deleted on May 11, 2015 22:21:37 GMT -5
Would it be better to shut them all down so they could be unemployed? Ordinarily I'm not in favor of more regulations but where is the enforcement of laws regarding toxic chemicals in the workplace? Shouldn't there be exhaust vents, information for the workers in hazardous materials, etc? If it increases the cost, so be it. Eventually we all pay for the costs of treating these workers.
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on May 12, 2015 2:01:09 GMT -5
Hazmat suits.
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on May 12, 2015 2:04:02 GMT -5
But yeah you can put regulations out the wazzoo because that is what govt beauracracies do based on Fear to shut people down. And then we will wind up closing most of these places down , putting people out of work. But hey they will be " safe" right?
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milee
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Post by milee on May 12, 2015 6:01:25 GMT -5
Would it be better to shut them all down so they could be unemployed? Ordinarily I'm not in favor of more regulations but where is the enforcement of laws regarding toxic chemicals in the workplace? Shouldn't there be exhaust vents, information for the workers in hazardous materials, etc? If it increases the cost, so be it. Eventually we all pay for the costs of treating these workers. Funny you should mention this, but when I was reading the article all I could think was "where is OSHA?" I'm not in favor of overbearing European style Nanny regulation on everything, but in America, we seem to be getting a strange patchwork that's extremely inconsistent. The chemicals we use in our manufacturing process are tightly regulated and many have been banned over the years, and our process does not expose the public at all. Here's something using more toxic chemicals plus exposing the general public, and nothing.
My honest guess is that traditional manufacturing exposes men to chemicals and men are considered more valuable to our society than women. Especially immigrant women. In the eyes of the law, these women are considered disposable, as are the frivolous female customers that lawmakers assume use these places.
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973beachbum
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Post by 973beachbum on May 12, 2015 6:10:46 GMT -5
Ordinarily I'm not in favor of more regulations but where is the enforcement of laws regarding toxic chemicals in the workplace? Shouldn't there be exhaust vents, information for the workers in hazardous materials, etc? If it increases the cost, so be it. Eventually we all pay for the costs of treating these workers. Funny you should mention this, but when I was reading the article all I could think was "where is OSHA?" I'm not in favor of overbearing European style Nanny regulation on everything, but in America, we seem to be getting a strange patchwork that's extremely inconsistent. The chemicals we use in our manufacturing process are tightly regulated and many have been banned over the years, and our process does not expose the public at all. Here's something using more toxic chemicals plus exposing the general public, and nothing.
My honest guess is that traditional manufacturing exposes men to chemicals and men are considered more valuable to our society than women. Especially immigrant women. In the eyes of the law, these women are considered disposable, as are the frivolous female customers that lawmakers assume use these places.
I think this is more about inertia. The laws that regulate hazards in most manufacturing are decades old. This would be new. The fed and states never regulated anything in cosmetics. So it would require new laws. What gov official lately is willing to say more regulation is a good thing? And all that inertia allows the industry to get their lobbyists to work their magic. Who lobby's for the plain old workers anymore? Unions and the ACLU are largely derided here yet they are exactly what this group desperately needs IMO.
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