Since there is formaldehyde in nail polish, can it cause birth defects if pregnant women use it?

I know I have caught myself picking at my polish with my teeth back when I used to bite my nails, a bad habit I finally broke!! I just recently found out that most nail polishes contain formaldehyde, and I know it has birth defects.


I was just wondering if formaldehyde in nail polish can cause birth defects?

Since there is formaldehyde in nail polish, can it cause birth defects if pregnant women use it?
Absolutely, if you drink enough of it.





OPI, Orly and Del Laboratories, which makes the Sally Hansen Brands have all acknowledged this week that they have begun removing a number of the suspect ingredients from their nail varnish products.





The move is the result of a long-standing campaign by the lobby group that has targeted specific brands of nail varnish that are said to contain ingredients including phthalates, formeldahyde and toluene - ingredients that have all been scientifically linked to health-related conditions in humans.





Sally Hansen, one of the highest profile names in the US nail varnish segment, said it is reformulating all its products to remove dibutyl phthalate (DBP), formaldehyde and toluene.





Company spokesperson Ann Nugent said that the reformulation "is a big concern for us" and that the company sees it as a "stepped-up effort." However, the company has not yet confirmed with all the reformulated products will be on store shelves.





OPI and Orly have said they would remove DBP from their products but would continue to use toluene. Likewise OPI still uses formaldehyde in some nail products.





Orly spokesperson Jennifer Marlowe said that the company began removing DBP from all products "at least a year ago" but that "some products still contain small amounts of toluene and formaldehyde resin, not formaldehyde."





The campaigners have pointed out that the three ingredients are on California's Prop. 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.





In particular, recent scientific studies have stressed the line between DBP and underdevelopment of newborn baby boys. Although the chemical is banned by the EU, in the US the FDA has not made any such move.





Toluene has also been linked to skin irritations, liver damage and anaemia, while formeldahyde is 'reasonably anticipated' to be a human carcinogen.





The group says that its action against specific manufacturers of nail varnish highlights the fact that FDA regulations do not require that cosmetics products have to be tested for safety, contrary to stricter regulations governing the European market.
Reply:I'm tryin to give up whereing it


Steve