Dangerous chemical found at several Florida nail salons

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — An Action News Jax investigation discovered several Florida nail salons were caught with a dangerous banned chemical that can damage skin and nails, cause breathing problems and trigger miscarriages.

Getting a manicure is routine for many women, including Aimee Peacock.

“I get my nails done every two weeks,” said Peacock, who has never heard of methyl methacrylate, or MMA.

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MMA is a strong bonding agent that some salons use illegally with acrylic nails to attach them, add tips and sculpt them. It’s safe once it dries, but it’s dangerous in its liquid form.

Both short- and long-term exposure can cause health issues for both customers and nail technicians.

“It can range from redness, blistering to an open sore,” said Kevin Pegg, a professor of natural sciences at Florida State College at Jacksonville.

Read: Dangerous chemical found at several Jacksonville nail salons

The Food and Drug Administration said MMA has been deemed poisonous.

Researchers said it could cause miscarriages, lesions on the kidneys and liver and respiratory problems. But it is hard to know if your salon is using it.

Action News Jax, Channel 9′s sister station, went through state inspection reports and discovered four Florida salons were cited for having MMA. Click here to read more about that.

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