Nickel, Cobalt, and Chromium in Nail Sticker and Tip Products

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• In this study, the authors investigated nickel, cobalt, and chromium release and content of 50 commonly used nail stickers and tips in Korea. Despite negative cobalt and chromium spot tests, inductively coupled plasma-optical mass spectrometry detected nickel, cobalt, and chromium in 11%, 6.3%, and 16.7% of the samples, respectively. Higher detection rates were noted in nail tips than in nail stickers.
• Nail stickers and tips are a part of an ever-growing nail care market. Dermatologists should be able to recognize and understand potential causative agents of allergic contact dermatitis in these nail cosmetics.

–  Ruth McTighe, MD

Written by

 

 

Christen Maria Mowad MD

Nail care products are well known to be the cause of allergic contact dermatitis on the nails, hands, and fingers, but these allergens can also be the cause of ectopic dermatitis on the face and eyelids. The most common nail care product allergens are acrylates such as 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate, and ethyl cyanoacrylate as well as tosylamide. This study looked at allergens in an increasingly new form of nail art that involves nail tips and nail stickers. The study conducted in Korea looked at the presence of nickel, cobalt, and chrominum in nail stickers and nail tip products. The authors found that nickel spot tests showed nickel was released in 8.1% of products, and, after exposure to sweat, in 11.6% of products. The spot tests for cobalt and chromium were negative; however, quantitative tests detected cobalt and chromium in 6.3% and 16.7% of products, respectively. The authors comment on how the spot tests for cobalt and chromium are not as sensitive or specific as the nickel spot test. The most common source of the allergens in these newer nail art forms were found in the nail tips more so than the nail stickers and were most common in rhinestones.

This study highlights some new potential allergens when considering those suspected of having allergic contact dermatitis due to nail care products. This can present both on the hands or nails as well as etopically on the face. In addition to acrylates and polish, clinicians should consider the newer potential nail art allergens of nail tips and stickers.

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Nail stickers and nail tips are increasingly used nail products in Korea, and the rest of the world. However, no studies have examined if these specific consumer products might contain nickel, cobalt, and/or chromium, that is, metals known to provoke contact allergy.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to assess the release and content of nickel, cobalt, and chromium in nail stickers and tips by performing qualitative and quantitative analyses, respectively, of 50 convenience samples purchased in Korea.

METHODS

Eighty-six qualitative spot tests were performed to determine the release of nickel, cobalt, and chromium on 35 nail stickers and 15 nail tips across five brands. Subsequently, the metal contents were quantified using inductively coupled plasma-optical mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

RESULTS

According to the spot tests, nickel was released in 7/86 (8.1%) tests before and 10/86 (11.6%) tests after exposure to artificial sweat. Cobalt and chromium (VI) spot test results were negative. However, ICP-MS detected nickel, cobalt, and chromium in 11%, 6.3%, and 16.7% of the samples, respectively. Detection rates were higher in nail tips than in stickers and were most common in rhinestones.

CONCLUSION

Nail stickers and tips may contain nickel, cobalt, and/or chromium.

Contact Dermatitis

Nickel, cobalt, and chromium in nail sticker and tip products in Korea

Contact Derm 2023 Jan 20;[EPub Ahead of Print], HH Kim, GH Lee, GJ Pyo, ES Kwon, KB Myung, SH Cheong 

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Benjamin Hidalgo-Matlock
Skin Care Physicians of Costa Rica

Clinica Victoria en San Pedro: 4000-1054
Momentum Escazu: 2101-9574

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