If regular manicures are your guilty pleasure, beware - they may be posing a risk to your health.
According to a new report released on Monday by NYC Public Advocate Leticia James' office, an incredibly 56per cent of nail salons in New York City are in violation of health and safety rules.
And the consequences are grave; the report states that customers exposed to unclean conditions have been infected with hepatitis and staph infections.
Unclean: According to a new report released on Monday by NYC Public Advocate Leticia James' office, an incredibly 56per cent of nail salons in New York City are in violation of health and safety rules
What's more, three of the chemicals often used at salon - toluene, dibutyl phthalate and formaldehyde, referred to in the report as the 'Toxic Trio' - have been known to cause reproductive harm, respiratory problems, birth defects and even cancer.
The FDA doesn't enforce any restrictions on these chemicals because they are considered 'safe when used as directed.'
But the problem with that, says Ms James, is that there are only 27 inspectors tasked with making sure that all of the 5,000 nail salons in New York state comply with these rules.
As such, it's nearly impossible to keep track of how each salon is run and whether these harmful chemicals are being used correctly.
Regulations are also inconsistent; the report states that there are no set rules when it comes to proper ventilation in the salons.
And there is 'little to no regulation on the manufacturing of nail lamps,' whose UV lamps may be just as harmful to the skin as tanning beds.
The report also notes that a whopping 89per cent of the 10,000 other chemicals contained in nail products have never been tested by independent agencies.
Many of the health issues arise when tools are not disinfected properly. Shockingly, nearly 75per cent of nail salons in the U.S. don't comply with cleaning standards.
When foot baths are not sanitized between customers, for instance, they are at risk of contracting staph infections, hepatitis and bacterial infections.
While these health violations pose a risk to customers, the approximately 13,100 nail salon employees in New York state are even more in danger.
According to the report, they frequently report skin problems, eye irritation, allergies and asthma, which may well be linked to the chemicals and aspects of their job.
To combat these problems, Ms James recommends enforcing better ventilation and employing more designated city nail salon inspectors.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2761017/Beware-monthly-manicure-cause-hepatitis-How-HALF-New-York-nail-salons-violate-health-safety-rules.html#ixzz3DhigKZ7L
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