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The Doctors discuss the shocking viral case of a woman who attempted to remove her acrylic nails by herself, which lead to a serious infection and then she had to eventually have the top of her thumb amputated!
Dermatologist Dr. Sonia Batra warns, "Dermatologists hate acrylic nails for a reason. It is because you have to thin your actual nail in order to apply them," explaining that this makes your nail more brittle. She says bacteria, yeast and fungus can get stuck under the acrylic nail. "It becomes a doorway for bacteria and a great breeding ground," she adds.
Plastic surgeon Dr. Andrew Ordon says, "It could have killed her!"
Watch: The Right Way to Clean and File Your Nails
Another area of concern when it comes to acrylic nails is the light that is used to set the nails. Dr. Batra warns against using ultraviolet light, which she says is carcinogenic. She recommends using LED light instead of ultraviolet.
So if you are getting nails, is there one option -- either acrylic or gel -- that is safer?
Dr. Batra says she feels soak-off gel nails are probably safer than the acrylic nails, as the growth of bacteria is less likely. She reminds us to always return to the salon to remove acrylic nails.
