Walking down the street, you can't help but notice the manicures on the hands of passing girls. Whether monochromatic or patterned, these nails showcase the unique beauty of this small canvas. But British media reports warn that nail polish contains phthalates, which may increase users' risk of diabetes! Women who love manicures should be on alert.
The Story of Nail Polish and Mice
A group of mice were administered a substance called "environmental estrogen" via daily gastric lavage. Soon after, some mice began exhibiting elevated blood sugar levels and symptoms of diabetes. Upon examining the mice's pancreatic tissue, doctors discovered extensive cellular deformation and apoptosis, with a significant reduction in insulin-producing cells.The researchers behind this study included Professor Liu Chao and Dr. Xu Shuhang from the Endocrinology Department of Jiangsu Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine. The test substance, polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), belongs to the same class as the phthalates mentioned earlier. Doctors collectively refer to these as environmental estrogens.
Best to minimize exposure to these substances
Whether polybrominated biphenyls or phthalates, as environmental estrogens, they pose similar potential risks. Phthalates are commonly found in everyday personal care products like nail polish, hair spray, cosmetics, perfume, shampoo, and body wash.Women who frequently use substandard nail polish or personal care products with excessive harmful substances may unknowingly face risks of endocrine disruption. However, doctors are now more concerned about water pollution, as it directly impacts aquatic and agricultural products. Dietary exposure to these harmful substances may exceed exposure from cosmetics.
Xu Shuhang stated: "Major environmental issues require management and control by relevant authorities. From an individual health perspective, we certainly hope people reduce their use of such products, especially vulnerable groups like pregnant women. Current investigations suggest these harmful substances could potentially damage your thyroid, harm your child, and increase your risk of diabetes—even when using conservative estimates."