Lips and Nails > Nail Treatments
Nail polish or nail varnish is lacquer used to color and protect the nails of the fingers and toes. Simply polishing the nails without applying a chemical layer is called nail buffing.
Most polishes consist of nitrocellulose dissolved in a solvent to which resins, plasticizers, solvents, pigments, and particles are added. Some of the ingredients are known to be toxic, such as formaldehyde and phthalates, but that hasn't stopped their use.
A water based version using acrylic and pigments similar to those used in watercolors is marketed as a more environmentally sensitive and healthy product.
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Some fingernail and toenail polishes claim to promote nail growth or add strength to prevent splitting. While they may indeed protect, it is doubtful that they stimulate new growth.
Stick-on glass jewels and mini-decals can embellish stripes and swirls of color. Nail treatments can be snooty (French manicures) or downright funky (midnight black or red, white, and blue).
Manicures, pedicures, and chemical manipulation of the nails can sometimes result in infection. Fungal infections are particularly hard to treat and usually require either oral anti-fungal medications with known toxicities or, as a newer but not fully proven approach, treatment with a laser.
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