The impact of gel manicures on fertility as new restrictions ban controversial nail chemical
TPO gel nail polish has officially been banned in the UK, just months after the product was restricted in the European Union (EU).
This follows concerns that the chemical in the gel nails could cause fertility issues for women, which is currently still fully legal and unregulated in the US.
TPO, which is formally known as Trimethylbenzoyl Diphenylphosphine Oxide, was banned from the EU last September after it was listed as a ‘reproductive toxin’.
Now, the UK is following suit, with nail techs having until February 2027 to replace their polishes with non-TPO alternatives.
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This came after a study in Nature claimed that ‘endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are substances generated by human industrial activities that are detrimental to human health’.
Another study also detailed how the chemical impacts fertility, going on to state that EDC oestrogenic pharmaceutical diethylstilbestrol have been shown to be ‘linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes, infertility, and cancers in mothers, as well as their offspring’.
However, just how concerned should we be about the polish we choose for our nails? One expert has lifted the lid on the impact TPO could have on fertility.
Dr Fotodotis Malamas, MD, PhD, MRCOG, a fertility doctor at CREATE Fertility, explained: “When a chemical is classified as potentially harmful to reproductive health, removing unnecessary exposure is a sensible precaution, particularly for people who are trying to conceive.
“However, reproductive toxicity doesn’t automatically mean that exposure to a product causes infertility. The potential risk depends on several factors, including the chemical itself, the dose, how someone is exposed to it and how frequently that exposure occurs.
“That’s an important distinction with TPO. The concerns that led to its classification stem from animal studies, and there isn't currently any established evidence that ordinary gel manicures impair human fertility. For anyone who has regularly had gel nails, I wouldn’t want this news to cause unnecessary anxiety about their past exposure.”
The expert went on to say that there is ‘no reason to panic or assume previous gel manicures have affected your fertility’.
He added: “This is about taking sensible precautions as the evidence develops, rather than suggesting that occasional manicures have been shown to cause infertility.”
However, that’s not to say that nail techs aren’t more at risk due to being more exposed to chemicals for longer periods of time.
Dr Malamas did point out that research conducted into nail salon works has ‘raised broader questions about repeated workplace exposure to mixtures of chemicals’.
This further highlights the importance of proper ventilation and protective measures in a salon environment.