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Hot Topics - MMA


Have you ever wondered why you can go to a salon on the high street and get a full set of nail enhancements for as little as £20? Well, with most salons, the answer lies with a product called MMA (or Methyl Methacrylate to give it its full name).

hands and gerbera

What is MMA?
MMA is a chemical substance obtained by US nail technicians from medical supplies stores in the 1970's, and was used as a monomer (liquid) to create acrylic nail enhancements. The problems associated with MMA, and its use in the nail industry, led to it being banned in 1974. However, it is still widely used in America, and around the world (including in the UK), as a "cheap" alternative to safer, brand-name products. The use of this chemical was recently raised by MP's in the House of Commons, with a view to banning it altogether.

Why was it banned in the US?
It quickly became clear that MMA had a number of serious safety issues:-

  • Sensitivity - The monomer is an extremely high sensitiser and can lead to very unpleasant allergic reactions in some people;
  • Hardness - When MMA is cured it is VERY hard. If you were to trap or catch a nail, the chances are the natural nail would come away from the nail bed, or be ripped off altogether;
  • Nail damage - When rebalancing, electric files need to be used, as MMA is hard to file. When applying MMA the natural nail has to be etched away, by up to 50%, to allow the MMA to adhere properly. This can lead to the nail bed being burnt and the natural nail over-thinned;

    How can I tell if it's being used in a salon?

  • Smell - The chemical has an unusually strong or strange odour. The nail technician may even be wearing a face mask and when filing the cured product smells sweet;
  • Difficult to file - Enhancements made with MMA are extremely hard and very difficult to file, even with coarse files;
  • Price - Low-priced rebalances and full sets are a sign that MMA is being used, as it is very cheap;
  • No brand names - Technicians using MMA may not show, or tell, the client which product is being used and may work from unlabelled containers;


    So what's the alternative?
    Reputable, fully qualified and fully insured nail technicians, like myself, use branded reputable suppliers - such as Creative Nail Design. The acrylic powder is mixed with a liquid containing EMA (Ethyl Methacrylate), which is much safer, the enhanced nail is more flexible and easily attached to the natural nail, and rebalancing is far easier and causes much less stress to the natural nail.

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