Tag Archives: health

Acrylic Nails: Are They Worth the Damage?

Among young adult and teen women, acrylic nails have become a popular trend. Despite the range of nail designs possible through acrylic nails, this beauty routine is hotly debated due to exposure to toxic chemicals.

What are acrylic nails?

Long and Complex nail designs can be achieved using acrylic nails (credit: Bvasilev1, Wikipedia Commons)

Acrylic nails are a form of nail extensions that use a liquid and powder formula to create a sturdy fake nail. The powder contains poly(methyl methacrylate), also known as acrylic glass. Acrylic glass is a type of synthetic plastic polymer. This polymer gets activated when in contact with the liquid monomer used in acrylic nail formation. This liquid contains ethyl methacrylate (EMA) and an inhibitor. The inhibitor prevents immediate polymerization between the liquid and powder. The polymer powder is dipped into the monomer to create a malleable bead that is shaped to fit the client’s nail. Within minutes of application, the mixture cures, forming a solid layer.

The debate against acrylic nails

Many health experts argue against the use of acrylic nails due to the harsh chemicals used in their creation. EMA is particularly concerning. Particles of this highly reactive monomer are likely to remain unpolymerized after the nail has cured. This can cause redness, swelling, and pain in the customer’s nail bed. The reactivity and negative effects of monomers have been discussed at length. Prior to EMA, methyl methacrylate (MMA) liquid monomers were used. MMA has since been banned by the Food and Drug Administration due to severe damage to nails and allergic reactions.

Acrylic nails often use chemicals such as toluene, phthalates, methacrylic acid, and formaldehyde. These chemicals have been proven to cause asthma, allergic reactions, short-term memory loss, and irritate eyes, throat, and lungs.

The effects of these chemicals on clients’ nails and overall health have made acrylic nails a debated service. This argument also extends to nail technicians who are surrounded by these chemicals every day.

Acrylic nails can cause damage to the natural nail when not applied or removed by a professional (credit: Pickpik)

The pros of acrylic nails

Despite some backlash regarding the chemicals used in acrylic nails, many people continue to advocate for this practice due to its strength, cost, and appearance.

The hard layer formed by the polymer and monomer serves as protective over the nails. When applied by professionals, acrylic nails can be used to protect natural nails. This is especially helpful for customers with brittle or weak nails.

Acrylic nails also last for up to 21 days, decreasing the number of times customers must return to the nail salon. In the long run, acrylic nails can be a cost-effective way for customers to continue looking their best.

Lastly, acrylic nails provide unmatched customizations for their clients. Customers can choose from a range of lengths, shapes, colours, and designs.

As showcasing creativity via nail designs becomes more popular, customers stay aware of the potential health concerns that surround their beauty regimen.

-Carissa Chua

Step In The Chamber: The Benefits and Risks of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Oxygen is crucial to aerobic respiration, a process in the human body that turns sugars and fats into energy. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment that provides patients with pure oxygen, rather than the 21% oxygen in the air. Canada currently follows the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, which identified HBOT as an effective treatment for 14 select medical conditions in 2011. These include conditions such as carbon monoxide poisoning and anemia.

During the operation, patients enter a chamber that delivers oxygen at a raised atmospheric pressure. The chamber increases the oxygen concentration in the blood, as well as decreases any air bubbles that are present. HBOT follows the basis that a greater oxygen supply to the bloodstream and tissues will promote an accelerated recovery.

A Patient Undergoing Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Source: Travis AFB

There are some risks associated with HBOT that patients should be aware of. Excess oxygen levels are toxic to humans, creating reactive species that can hurt the body. Additionally, the pressurized chamber can trigger claustrophobia, the fear of confined spaces, in certain patients. The chamber can also lead to cases of barotrauma, where the pressure inside damages a patient’s ears and sinuses.

However, several factors can reduce the risks that accompany HBOT treatment. Health Canada has to evaluate the safety and efficacy of all medical chambers, issuing licenses to the ones qualified for use. Installation of these devices must then follow strict safety protocols. In regards to the patients, it’s important they verify their medical history to ensure they don’t aggravate conditions sensitive to HBOT. They also need to be attentive to instructions, occasionally taking breaks from the continuous oxygen supply.

While HBOT appears to be an effective form of treatment, Health Canada limits its range of use to a few medical conditions. Monitoring whether its benefits outweigh the drawback will determine if the methodology continues moving forward.

The Fentanyl fire

Fentanyl was responsible for the most deaths by overdose in British Columbia from 2019-2022. It’s not just our homeless population. Young professionals, our youth, and new parents have all been affected; in short, all those who choose to partake can fall victim.

Chemical structure of fentanyl

This is terrifying but hardly surprising when you consider that a dose of only 2milligrams can kill you.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid: a man-made drug with effects similar to that of morphine and heroin. Fentanyl is 50 to a 100 times more potent than morphine and relatively speaking, frighteningly simple to synthesize. It makes sense then that it is used medically as both a pain reliever and sedative. In fact, it is on the WHO’s List of Essential Medicines.

It seems almost trite to remark here that fentanyl, like all drugs, has the potential for abuse.

Figure 2 shows the percentage of deaths attributed to a number of drugs between 2019-2022. Fentanyl clearly takes the cake here, and it’s not even close. Figure 1 below graphs the total deaths by illicit drugs per year, from 1996 to 2022. A truly disturbing, upward trend.

Figure 1: Deaths caused by illicit drugs from 1996 to 2022

Figure 2: Percentage of 2648 deaths in which fentayl and other drugs were found postmortem (Source: Government of Canada)

But why? Why are so many people dying? It’s not like people are purchasing fentanyl in droves. Surely they know how dangerous this is?

Fentanyl enters Canada in one of three ways: illegal import, illegal manufacture and theft of medical products.

The truth is, there are individuals who recreationally consume fentanyl. They have their methods; such as through transdermal fentanyl patches, lollipops or nasal sprays. These are all relatively safer options, all things considered, as they are all illegally sourced medical products going under brand names such as Actiq®, Duragesic®, and Sublimaze®.

Actiq, a popular orally bio available method of consumption.

These delivery methods first gained popularity in the 90’s, and soon after that, criminal organizations began making fentanyl analogues to avoid identification as an illegal substance. Even more potent than regular old fentanyl, analogues such as carfentanil and 3-methylfentanyl fueled the fire.

Most people are exposed unwittingly. The first illicit pills and laced drugs containing fentanyl and its analogues appeared in the market around 2013, and drug related deaths began to skyrocket at the same time (Figure 1) and a majority of these deaths are attributable to fentanyl (Figure 2).

But what can we do? While fentanyl test strips are certainly progress, there are limitations; false negatives, false positives, and the simple reality that most people probably won’t be bothered. We must first and foremost draw light to how pervasive and serious this problem really is. This should also be dealt with at the root. We must push for working with other countries including China, the US and Mexico to implement stricter drug measures and export regulations.

Drugs aren’t evil. They are neither good or bad, how could they be? But some drugs are worse than others. Much, much worse. We are left with a fire that we must put out while we still can. The good news is we have ways to deal with this. We have science and people who care.

Blue Light – A Propagated Myth!

Unsplash Photo by Lukas Blaskevicius (Editorial, Technology) Unsplash

Device users are not a risk of eye damage due to blue light emitted from their devices, but they may be at risk of poorer sleep.

In 2019, Director Dr. David Ramsey of Ophthalmic Research at Lahey Massachusets Hospital and his study maintained that “many retail stores have ambient illumination twice as great…as [ones] iPhone, [and that] the sun yields illumination ten times greater!”

Light sources such as incandescence (light bulbs) and LEDs emit a broad spectrum of light, namely 400 to 700 nanometers (nm). Blue light is in the 400 to 450 nm range, carrying more energy than red light, raising concern.

Our retinas regularly absorb blue light emitted by the sun. For roughly 300,000 years, humans have sustained minor to no retinal damage: if it were damaging, we would have evolved optically blind.

Device intensities are much less than the sun and are regulated by manufacturers using light filters.

In 2019, CBC News conducted a Marketplace undercover investigation to debunk the concerns. In addition, Dr. SUNIR J. GARG, American Board Ophthalmologist and clinical researcher, addressed the myth.

“Why you don’t need blue light lenses: Hidden camera investigation (Marketplace)” A 2019 CBC Interview with Dr. SUNIR J. GARG, American Board Ophthalmologist, about why blue light glasses are unnecessary. Youtube

However, in the Harvard study, Dr. Ramsey adds that using devices late at night mimics sunlight, restraining melatonin production, a sleep-inducing hormone. This stimulates your circadian clock (your body’s 24-hour sleep clock), tending to delay your sleep cycles, disrupting your sleep, and increasing drowsiness the following morning.

By stopping use of electronic devices 30 minutes before bed, you can increase REM (deep-stage sleep), reduce morning drowsiness, and maintain a consistent circadian rhythm, which in itself has its own benefits.

In short, research before propagating a supposed “scientific claim” and reduce your screen time before bed.

~ Octavian Turner

Laugh Your Way to Death…

Figure 1- People Laughing

You must have heard the saying that “laughter is the best medicine,” but did you know that in rare cases, it may cause your death? Prolonged and intense laughter has been documented by researchers from University of Birmingham and Oxford to cause various medical conditions and, in some instances, death.

Throughout history, since ancient Greece, people have died because of intense and prolonged laughter. While today some scientists claim that the cause of death was inaccurately reported due to the limited medical knowledge. Laughter cannot directly cause someone’s death except suffocation triggered by laughing while eating.

Picture 2: Young man coughing front view.

Laughter is often recommended for promoting overall well-being and reducing stress. However, a recent study by researchers from the University of Birmingham and Oxford highlights the potential adverse effects of excessive laughter, particularly in individuals with pre-existing medical conditions.

Light laughter has been shown to benefit the cardiovascular system. However, excessive laughter can raise blood pressure and put strain on the heart. This can be particularly dangerous for those with heart problems such as coronary artery disease or congestive heart failure (CHF) -occurs when the heart muscle doesn’t pump blood as well as it should-. Simply put, a diseased heart may not be able to tolerate the increased heart rate and pressure caused by intense laughter.

Picture 3: Heart

In addition, excessive laughter can put pressure on the chest muscles. Therefore, it can be dangerous for those with respiratory complications such as collapsed lungs-the overlap of lung tissues-. Laughing too hard for extended periods of time can also lead to hyperventilation, causing shortness of breath and, in rare cases, temporary loss of consciousness.

Experts think that having a pre-existing illness was likely a significant contributor to death caused by laughing. Additionally, while it is not lethal, laughing excessively for an extended period can lead to difficulty breathing or even death.

Picture 4: Joyful Little Kid

Keep in mind that continuous loud laughter can be dangerous, but that doesn’t mean you should stop laughing altogether. A good hearty laughs every day is indeed the elixir of life, but make sure the laugh-out-loud moments don’t take your breath away. 🙂

Blue Light – A Propagated Myth

Unsplash Photo by Ales Nesetril (Editorial, Technology)

Blue light from electronic devices does not damage the eyes, but it may damage your sleep.

The lie propagated is unfounded in science and was debunked. Those spreading it are misinformed and scientifically uneducated.

Light sources such as incandescence (light bulbs) and LEDs emit a broad spectrum of light, namely 380 to 700 nanometers (nm). Blue light is in the 400 – 450 nm range, carrying more energy compared to red light, which raises concern.

Our retinas regularly absorb blue light emitted by the sun, and for over 300,000 years has been the case and proven not to be damaging – otherwise, we would be blind.

In addition, device intensities are much less than the sun and are regulated by manufacturers using light filters.

According to Dr. Ramsey, a Havard Health Publishing Contributor, and Director of Ophthalmic Research at Lahey Massachusets Hospital, “many retail stores have ambient illumination twice as great…as your iPhone. [Yet] the sun yields illumination ten times greater!”

He also adds that using devices late at night mimics sunlight, restraining the production of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone. This stimulates your circadian clock (your body’s 24 hr sleep clock), tending to delay your sleep cycles, disrupting your sleep, and increasing drowsiness the following morning.

By stopping using electronic devices 30 minutes before bed, you can increase REM (deep-stage sleep), reduce morning drowsiness, and maintain a consistent circadian rhythm, which in itself has its own benefits.

In short, do your own research before propagating a supposed “scientific claim,” and reduce your screen time before bed.

~ Octavian Turner