Is nail polish safe during pregnancy?

What does the evidence say about nail polish during pregnancy?

1. The amount of toluene absorbed through the skin or inhaled from painting your finger and toe nails is small and isn't expected to raise the chance of pregnancy problems. 1
2. Nail products can contain solvents like acetone, toluene, butyl acetate, and ethyl acetate along with plasticizers such as dibutyl phthalate, and formaldehyde gas can be released into the air from some formulas. 2
3. The health effects tied to nail cosmetic chemicals like the so-called toxic trio (toluene, dibutyl phthalate, and formaldehyde) are documented mainly in people who work with these products all day, not from occasional at-home use. 3
4. A study of nail salon workers found urinary phthalate metabolite levels several times higher than the general population, underscoring that all-day occupational exposure is a different category of risk than painting your own nails at home. 4
5. Good airflow when using nail products reduces how much of any chemical you inhale, the same practical step recommended for anyone using solvent-containing cosmetics during pregnancy. 2

Is nail polish safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. Nothing about painting your nails at home changes in the first trimester. Routine manicures count as everyday cosmetic use, not a pregnancy-specific exposure.
• Second trimester. The same guidance holds. If you get salon manicures rather than doing them yourself, a well-ventilated salon is a lower-exposure choice than a small, closed room.
• Third trimester. No new restriction applies this late in pregnancy. If nail-product smells bother you more now, that's a common pregnancy symptom rather than a sign the product itself has become riskier.