Allergic Contact Dermatitis to Sculptured Nails

Sculptured artificial nails are a popular method of improving the cosmetic appearance of natural nails. They are made by mixing a liquid monomer with a powder polymer and then molding this acrylic compound onto the natural nail. We have recently seen a patient with allergic contact dermatitis to ethyl methacrylate, the liquid monomer used in these artificial fingernails. The purpose of this article is to report a case in which ethyl methacrylate was the sensitizer in the nail, and to demonstrate cross-sensitivity to methyl and N-butyl methacrylate. Report of a Case A 50-year-old woman used artificial fingernails for 1 1/2 years because of nail fragility. This process involved the mixing of ethyl methacrylate monomer with acrylic polymers. For several months prior to being seen in the clinic, a paronychial and eyelid dermatitis (Figure) occurred two days after each new application of the nails. Using the aluminum patch test technique, the