Does nail polish remover damage the nails?

After removing a nail polish with a remover, nails often feel drier, duller, and more brittle. This is not just a perception: removers indeed tend to weaken the nails. Nails are primarily composed of keratin, a fibrous protein that gives them their strength. However, they also contain a certain proportion of lipids and water, essential for maintaining their flexibility and preventing the nails from splitting or breaking. When a remover is applied to the nails, it acts not only on the polish to break down and remove the pigments, but also on the constituents of the nail, particularly water and lipids, which it tends to dissolve. This alters the nail's barrier and makes it more fragile.

The nail polish removers most criticized in this regard are those containing acetone. Acetone is a solvent frequently found in nail polish removers because it is very effective at quickly eliminating pigments and polymers from the polish. This effectiveness comes from its lipophilic nature, that is, its ability to attract and retain lipid compounds. Therefore, acetone does not only dissolve nail polish but also easily removes lipids present in the nail's horny layer, making it dry and fragile. A recent study looked at the effects on nails of removers containing different concentrations of acetone. In the absence of acetone, propylene carbonate, a solvent also capable of removing polish, was used. Several measurements were taken before and after the use of the removers, and a loss of roughness and hydration was observed when the removers contained acetone. This decrease was even more significant as the concentration of acetone was higher, as shown in the table below.

Evaluated Criterion	Acetone-Free Nail Polish Remover	5% Acetone Remover	100% Acetone Remover
Nail Roughness	37.44 ± 8.82 (before); 37.34 ± 4.31 (after)	37.66 ± 5.90 (before); 35.09 ± 6.10 (after)	37.50 ± 5.64 (before); 28.09 ± 5.50 (after)
Nail Water Content	1.024 ± 0.267 (before); 1.001 ± 0.267 (after)	0.960 ± 0.291 (before); 0.753 ± 0.284 (after)	1.021 ± 0.268 (before); 0.735 ± 0.236 (after)
Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL) of the nails	15.12 ± 4.34 (before); 16.03 ± 3.59 (after)	15.10 ± 3.66 (before); 17.41 ± 3.06 (after)	15.59 ± 2.51 (before); 18.30 ± 2.94 (after)

Effects of various solvents on the water-related and mechanical properties of nails.

Source: LI S. H. & others. Study on the Impact of Gel Nail Remover Liquid on the Nail Based on Acetone Concentration. Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology (2019).

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It appears that acetone-based nail polish removers are the primary culprits in weakening nails.

Indeed, according to the study, the acetone-free nail polish remover did not affect the hydration of the nails, nor their roughness. However, it was slightly less effective in removing the polish, as shown in the following photos. These were taken with three participants 5, 10, 15, and 20 minutes after using the remover. Nevertheless, even though it took longer, the acetone-free remover still completely removed the nail polish.

Morphologie des ongles après utilisation de dissolvants à différentes concentrations en acétone. — Nail morphology after using nail polish removers with varying concentrations of acetone.
Source: LI S. H. & others. Study on the Impact of Gel Nail Remover Liquid on the Nail Based on Acetone Concentration. Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology (2019).

Should we then completely ban acetone-based nail polish removers? The answer is not that straightforward. While the alternatives available today are indeed less harsh on the lipids of the nails, they are not entirely harmless. In the experiment conducted above, the removers were applied without rubbing, which is why they took so long to dissolve the nail polish. In practice, when using a remover, we tend to rub slightly to facilitate the removal of pigments. As acetone-free removers are often less effective, it may sometimes be necessary to scrape longer to remove the polish, which can mechanically weaken the surface of the nail.

How to maintain nails while using nail polish remover?

Rather than ceasing the use of removers, it's better to adopt some good practices to minimize their impact on the nails. The first is to hydrate and nourish the nails immediately after. For this, you can use a serum specifically designed for nails or a vegetable oil, such as apricot oil or sesame oil. In addition to providing lipids to the nails, these oils also enhance their surface shine.

It is also recommended to space out the applications of nail polish remover as much as possible. Ideally, its use should not exceed once a week. The same goes for applying nail polish. Beauty professionals indeed advise against consecutive manicures. To avoid weakening the nails, it is generally recommended to wait about two weeks between the application of two polishes, especially if it is a semi-permanent polish. Finally, when you apply the remover, avoid rubbing vigorously so as not to damage the nail. To preserve its structural integrity, it is better to let a cotton ball soaked in remover sit on the nail for a few seconds before gently wiping it with a clean cloth.