A recent study of lab technicians in New Zealand shows there’s Raynaud’s risk from solvent use: Exposure to solvents such as toluene, xylene, acetone and chlorinated solvents increased their risk of developing Raynaud’s disease – incidence of severe Raynaud’s as much as doubled.
One key finding in the study is that 75% of those who worked with these solvents handled wet sample slides without wearing gloves – some workers had been doing so for over a decade. The conclusion is to minimize exposure and be careful in handling solvents in medical laboratories and other workplaces.
OK, this association is understandable in a workplace scenario where workers are not being mindful of wearing gloves for protection against such toxins. But how many Frosties wear nail polish? Toluene and acetone are also key ingredients found in nail polish and polish remover. Shouldn’t wearing polish with these ingredients subject a person to greater Raynaud’s risk from solvent use or exposure?
We’d like to hear from you about your experiences with these solvents and whether or not they may have had an impact on your Raynaud’s condition. Please leave a comment or email us at info@raynauds.org.
Below are links to our other posts related to nails and Raynaud’s:
