Nail dust from acrylic manicures is actually microplastics, and yes, you’re breathing that in.
If you’ve ever watched a nail tech shave down acrylics, you’ve seen it: that cloudy dust swirling in the air? It’s not just harmless debris. It’s microplastics.
TikTok creator @savdoesmakeup recently dropped a viral truth bomb that had many rethinking their salon visits. “I don’t know who needs to hear this, but nail dust is microplastics,” she said. “It’s literally just a tiny shaved-off piece of polymerized acrylic.”
Her video, which described someone collecting a large jar of nail dust, pointed out that while saving the dust helps reduce environmental pollution, the real concern is what happens before it’s swept up.
“I mean, there’s nothing bad with collecting it. I would just make sure you’re not breathing it in. And it makes you wonder every time you go and get your nails done, how much of that stuff you are exposed to and breathing in,” she said.
Nail salons are microplastic hotspots
A 2022 scientific study confirmed what @savdoesmakeup highlighted: nail salons have some of the worst microplastic air pollution indoors. Researchers collected air samples from inside and outside nail salons. They found that indoor microplastic levels reached an average of 46 microplastic particles per cubic meter. Over a year, this could add up to over 67,000 inhaled particles per person.
@savdoesmakeup Incredibly niche video but the nail dust lady is just collecting microplastics and I’m not even mad about it #naildustcollector #naildust #microplastic #microplastics #plastic #plasticfree ♬ original sound – Soothing Relaxation
Even more alarming was the size and type of these particles. Most were small enough to get deep into the lungs. The main plastic found in the air was, unsurprisingly, acrylic, which is exactly what is used in artificial nails.
@savdoesmakeup added, “But it’s just really interesting to me how much occupational exposure some people have to microplastics. Because shaving down your nails and like, that dust, that’s literally just tiny plastic particles.”
What’s driving the exposure?
Several factors made microplastic levels worse: air conditioner use, plastic flooring or ceilings, nail treatments in progress, and the number of people in the space. Each of these increased the number of particles floating around. The more nails being filed, the more plastic dust fills the air.
According to the researchers, nail salons had higher microplastic pollution than homes or offices. The study concluded that occupational exposure to microplastics is significant for nail techs.
Even though many techs wear masks, that may not be enough. “I think a lot of nail techs [wear] masks and stuff, I feel like for this reason,” @savdoesmakeup noted. But unless there’s proper ventilation, those tiny particles still hang in the air.
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