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The Candidates' Health a nd The ir Health Care Plans

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Healthy Nail Polish

N ADDITION to its aes­thetic benefits, nail polish is thought to strengthen and protect nails. Yet two ingredients (toluene and formaldehyde) in a com­

mon resin-toluene sulfon­amide formaldehyde resin--..,. used to improve the gloss and wear of nail polish are now recognized as toxins. So some new enamels omit this resin.

Toluene, a solvent that thins the polish for smoother application, is environmen­tally unsound and poten­tially dangerous to unborn babies. But if you apply pol­ish just once a week, tolu­ene should not cause major problems, says Michele Elie, senior director of product

development at Revlon . "The person who is most at risk from toluene vapor is the manicurist."

Formaldehyde, a preser­vative that bonds the enamel to the nail, can cause allergic re­actions, which in­clude rashes, redness and bleeding beneath the nails. "Women who bite their nails," adds Dr. Alan Kling, a professor of derma­tology at Beth Israel Medical Center in NewYorkCicy, "may develop bleeding or skin cracking around the lips."

In response to these concerns, some cosmet­ics companies have re­formulated their nail products to omit the resin. Here are some of the enamels currently

1992

available without it: Revlon Nail Enamel, Revlon Strong­wear, Matrix Nail Colors and Estee Lauder Perfect Finish Nail Lacquer. -Stephanie Unter

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