Europe banned certain gel nail polishes. Will the U.S. follow suit?

A common chemical found in gel nail polish was banned in Europe. Will the United States do the same?

It’s unlikely, experts say.

The European Union banned the chemical trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide, or TPO, in May because of a possible link to fertility problems based on animal studies, the New York Times reported.

TPO is needed in gel manicures, which require ultraviolet light to harden.

The ban went into effect Sept. 1, meaning TPO can no longer be sold or used by nail technicians in Europe, Today reported.

Cosmetic chemist and nail industry expert Doug Schoon said salons will even have to dispose of existing polishes containing TPO, Today reported.

However, TPO-containing gel nail polishes are still available and used in the U.S.

Cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos told Today it’s unlikely that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will ban them at the federal level — because the European Union takes more of a hazard-based approach to regulation compared to the U.S.

That means it tends to regulate chemicals based on their “inherent properties” as opposed to risks based on how the chemical is used in the real world, Dobos said.

It is possible, though, that certain states in the U.S. may follow Europe’s example, she said.

“There are alternatives and many brands will reformulate so they have globally compliant products,” Dobos said.

Is it still safe to go to the nail salon?

No human studies have been conducted on the reproductive toxicity of TPO, according to Schoon, Today reported.

TPO was banned in Europe after animal studies — primarily in rats — linked high, repeated doses to negative reproductive effects in males. However, those findings came from feeding animals large amounts of TPO, a very different exposure than the small quantity applied to a human nail.

“The exposure conditions in these animal studies bear no resemblance to realistic exposure scenarios in cosmetic use,” Schoon said.

The only way TPO could enter the human body and potentially cause harm is through the small amounts that might touch the skin around the nails before they are cured under ultraviolet light, according to cosmetic chemist Michelle Wong, Ph.D., who runs the beauty science site Lab Muffin, Today reported.

In a worst-case scenario, “only 1% of the TPO may be left over after curing,” Wong said.

There is little to no reason to believe there are risks to fertility or overall health from gel nail polish with TPO, according to the current research, experts told Today.

The following nail polishes are similar to traditional gel but are TPO-free, according to NBC News Select:

• Dazzle Dry Mini Kit
• Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Polish
• Essie Gel Couture Nail Polish
• Glamnetic Press On Nails
• Hey Hae Semi Cured Gel Nail Strips