Eczema is an old friend of mine. The skin condition, which is partially characterised by a broken skin barrier, has been a steady presence throughout my life.
It flared up behind my knees during hot summers in primary school, driving me to itchy distraction while my classmates played rounders. As a makeup-obsessed teenager, the sensitive skin around my eyes fought back against layers of thick foundation and crudely applied kohl. And when I spent my early twenties battling a near-lethal combination of chronic stress and heartbreak, my eczema took up permanent residence on my upper cheek, flaring whenever I cried (which was often).
During the run-up to my thirties, I switched up my approach to beauty and wellness in the vague hope that my skin would settle accordingly. I quit boozing, upped my water intake, and said goodbye to vaping (miss you, Cherry Peach Lemonade). While these lifestyle changes were certainly beneficial, I could never quite rid myself of the red splotches around my eyes. I knew that if I wanted to wear makeup – especially liquid eyeliner – to work, I'd soon suffer the flakey consequences.
Back in 2021, I decided to bite the bullet and finally talk to a dermatologist about it. I expected to walk away with an expensive cream. And I did. However, she also asked to take a look at my fingernails. “Try going without your gel nails for a few weeks,” she recommended. My first thought? Not. Bloody. Likely.
As someone who generally can't afford pricier beauty treatments, my monthly gel nail appointments were an essential part of my self-care routine. Setting aside 90 minutes each month felt like a deserved indulgence – and I loved the feeling of having perfectly polished nails for at least two weeks (before I inevitably peeled them off and sheepishly promised to ‘do better’ next time).
At this point, I'd been paying for regular gel nail appointments for around five years. Could they really be aggravating my skin? A small part of me also felt weirdly protective of my eczema. It's been with me forever – surely it couldn't be triggered by something as trivial as gel nail polish, right?
I postponed testing this theory for nearly two years. Sure, I did short stints without gel nails, but I always allowed myself to be lured back to the salon. Six months ago, I went through one of my worst flare-ups of all time and decided enough was enough: it was time to finally kick my gel nail habit.
Does gel nail polish cause eczema? What the experts say…
Gel nail polish hit the headlines earlier this year after the British Association of Dermatologists [BAD] warned of a spike in people experiencing allergic reactions after their gel manicure. The allergic reactions – which can include eczema, nail loosening, and in rare cases, breathing difficulties –are thought to be caused by methacrylate chemicals, which are found in gel and acrylic nails. The BAD further pointed to the increased use of at-home gel-nail kids over lockdown as a partial explanation for the rise in allergic reactions.
Dr Ahmed El Muntasar, a GP and award-winning aesthetician, tells GLAMOUR that while there isn't a particular link between gel nail polish and eczema, a lot of nail polishes have got “blues and lots of different chemicals in them to give them colour, shine, longevity etc, so they’re full of lots of different ingredients.”
“Essentially,” he explains, “The reality is some of these chemicals will come into contact with your skin, causing eczema, which is driven by irritation. It's not the gel nail polish per se, but it's the ingredients and chemicals inside.”
I also spoke to Dr Anjali Mahto, a consultant dermatologist at Self London, who agreed that there's “no hard evidence” to suggest a causal link between gel nail polish and eczema. However, she adds, “Anecdotally, this is definitely something I’ve seen more of in clinic over recent years. I see a lot of people with contact dermatitis around the skin of the nail, and for some, gel nails can absolutely be an irritant.”
Dr Mahto points out that the removal of gel nail polish can also be an irritant. “Gel nail polish is designed to last a lot longer than regular nail polish, so it makes it more difficult to remove,” she explains. “The removal in itself (often acetone placed over the nail bed and therefore the surrounding skin too) can be highly irritating and lead to conditions such as contact dermatitis.”
RESULTS:
Before I gave up gel nail polish, I was experiencing a particularly nasty flare-up (see the below photo on the left), during which eczema covered my eye areas, spreading to my upper cheek and brow bone. I couldn't apply any skincare or makeup for fear of causing further irritation. Worst of all? My confidence was in hell. I felt extremely self-conscious, not to mention annoyed by well-meaning friends who kept nagging me to stop rubbing my eyes.
After having the remnants of my last gel manicure professionally removed, the results were almost instantaneous. Within a week, the rash felt like a minor sting rather than an insatiable itch, meaning I managed to stop touching my face quite so often. After a month, the rash had cleared up altogether, leaving me – for the first time in years – with uncrinkled, pain-free eyes. By month three, I felt confident enough to start using skincare and makeup again, taking care to use an ultra-sensitive cleanser (I went for the Cerave Hydrating Cleanser) and diligently removing all makeup before going to sleep.
Six months after I removed the gel nail polish, my skin – particularly around my eyes – is looking and feeling healthier than ever (see the below photo on the right). Yes, I've still got dark circles around my eyes. Yes, my skin texture is clearly uneven. And yes, I know I need to get my eyebrows done! But the previous inflammation is nowhere to be seen. For the first time in weeks, I feel confident taking a selfie – can you tell?
While I'm conscious that other factors might be at play here (I'm probably a sucker for a placebo), I'm convinced that quitting gel nail polish has had a transformative impact on my eczema. When speaking to Dr Mahto about my results, I asked if the gel nail polish was the cause of my eczema. “It’s certainly a possibility,” she noted, "but one can’t be 100% sure without a medical consultation first.
“There could have been other factors at play that would need to be taken into consideration. However, this is something I’ve seen in a few patients now in my clinics. Sometimes the ingredients in gel nail polish can be particularly irritating to those who are predisposed to certain skin conditions such as eczema.”
Before and after…
Gel nail polish? My verdict:
Since I stopped wearing gel nail polish, I've enjoyed blissfully calm skin around my upper cheek and eyelid area. I've even been wearing eyeliner! Successfully identifying and eliminating an eczema trigger from my lifestyle has also encouraged me to be more proactive about other potential irritants.
Another happy bonus is that my nails – after six weeks of freedom – are stronger than ever. The routine breakage has been replaced by long, elegant nails which feel sturdy – if less colourful than usual.
However, eczema is a chronic condition. While I now know that gel nail polish is a trigger, I'm painfully conscious that my eczema is only a ‘random’ flare-up away. While I'm enjoying the eczema-free lifestyle for now, I'm wary that it could make a return – gel nail polish or no gel nail polish.
As anyone with a chronic skin condition will tell you, what works one day doesn't always work the next. Triggers can change over time, so I recommend keeping a log of what typically aggravates your skin, whether it's stress, certain foods, or makeup.
Dr Ahmed tells GLAMOUR, “I would suggest testing out each polish, for example, trying different colours on your nails, different types of gels and documenting any noticeable changes or reactions. As part of the test, you can experiment with other forms of nail makeup, such as acrylics and regular polish and again note down any differences and reactions that may have occurred.”
For me, it was gel nail polish; for you, it could be something different. It's always best to lock in a chat with your GP and/or a reputable dermatologist before making any changes to your lifestyle.
The experts weigh in.
For more from Glamour UK's Lucy Morgan, follow her on Instagram @lucyalexxandra.
