Aug 28, 2015 0 Comments in Neurotoxicity by

Both the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times have recently published articles on occupational hazards of nail salon workers. There are roughly 120,000 licensed nail technicians in 48,000 salons in California alone.

These workers are exposed to formaldehyde and toluene, which they use in their work. Both of these substances have neurotoxic properties, and can cause problems with memory, concentration, emotional control, personality changes, and other common symptoms of neurotoxicity.

All workers that use these substances should be provided a workplace with good ventilation to reduce the chances of neurotoxicity. Workers should be monitored for early signs of neurotoxicity to minimize the possibility of injury from their exposure.

Nail salon workers with symptoms including headache, short-term memory loss and other symptoms of brain dysfunction should seek the diagnostic services of a neuropsychologist experienced in neurotoxicology, who can provide a proper evaluation and diagnosis of their condition.

References:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/11/nyregion/nail-salon-workers-in-nyc-face-hazardous-chemicals.html?_r=0

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-how-safe-are-california-nail-salons-20150508-story.html

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