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Calls for beauty industry to ban MMA
Date Added: 2010-01-11
Industry officials are calling for methyl methacrylate (MMA), a chemical used in artificial nail enhancements, to be banned.
Although MMA is not yet legally banned, many salon owners and nail technicians have stopped using it as it damages natural nails and has disturbing side effects.
One salon owner said: “MMA has a strong, sharp, fruity odour which can affect users, and technicians who use it, often wear masks to avoid inhalation. It can irritate the eyes, skin, nose and throat.”
While MMA is not highly toxic as has been claimed in the past, it is considered to be inappropriate for use in artificial nails. Reasons include the need to aggressively abrade the nail for MMA products, which thins and weakens the natural nail. Additionally, MMA artificial nails are hard to remove and can damage the natural nail when being removed.
In America, MMA has been banned. Creative Nail Design chief scientific advisor Doug Schoon, said: “MMA will always be around as long as there are nail technicians who don’t understand why they should not use it or don’t care that it shouldn’t be used.”
He added: “Unfortunately, many nail technicians don’t understand the reason why it shouldn’t be used so they propagate myths that it’s ‘toxic’. The reason it shouldn’t be used is because it makes a poor nail enhancement.”
