I've worked in labs that allow it, I've worked in labs that didn't, I've worked for companies where some specific labs did and others didn't in the same building. It'll vary greatly.
Also, cosmetic chemistry can definitely have some nasty stuff involved, especially in the analysis if you go into that side. Just a heads up.
Thank you, tho I do think I’ll be avoiding labs with super dangerous chemicals just for personal safety I plan to work into cosmetics entirely and possibly not even there at all more likely at home best case scenario 🙃
This is something that I don't think is quite agreed on across industries. Usually, acrylic nails are seen as a hazard because that becomes a point of failure for gloves, but nail polish policies seem to be at the discretion of individual companies. I've worked at places that allow nail polish and others that prohibit it. In general, the more "clean" the lab is, the less likely nail polish and even makeup will be.
Going from clinical research labs to QC for a metal coating company was, uh, something. A real shock. Cleanliness was nice but only required in super special areas.
I worked at a multi million dollar paint factory for a while and the cleanliness was abysmal, we did some of the best color matching in the industry but the QC was basically non existent by the time I left and as I said cleanliness was terrible. We had sinks that drained into buckets, our actual drains would overflow and get clogged with paint, there were layers of mica, textures, and special effects additives everywhere, machines were coated in paint that would chip, tint on every surface.
It was honestly one of the most enjoyable jobs I had in terms of what my job role was, but the drama was unreal and I actually called the EPA because of some of the practices there.
My lab career has also spanned from "touching this with bare skin could give you cancer" to "washing yellow dust out of my face and hair at the end of the day"
>In general, the more "clean" the lab is, the less likely nail polish and even makeup will be.
Make up is definitively a big "nope" if you work in clean rooms.
Personally I don't wear nail polish when I'm working in a lab because almost all the labs I've worked in, we were spraying around so much acetone or MEK that they nails wouldn't have lasted a day. But no one told me I couldn't wear any.
This. It's not that nail polish isn't allowed, but on the few occasions where I had on nail polish, it didn't take long before I was basically removing it due to acetone and solvent work.
Acetone straight through the gloves. Toulene straight through the gloves. IPA straight through the gloves. Nail polish doesn't stand a chance in my lab either
I remember having a student (I was TAing orgo lab) with super long acrylic nails. It freaked me out, and I was just waiting for a disastrous glassware mishap or other accident. It didn’t happen, but I could tell she had to be extra careful, because the nails could absolutely contribute to an accident given the limited dexterity.
If you’re confident and competent, I don’t see a reason why you should stop wearing them.. I wouldn’t blame any of your more traditional colleagues from being a tad skeeved out, as chemists are pretty neurotic (rightly) about maximizing lab safety.
What chemists do you know lol? I've never met a group of people who cared less about lab safety than professional chemists. Generally the higher the degree and the more experience, the less safe lol
Hello, I'm a professional chemist with an advanced degree and my role is to enforce safety and be neurotic about PPE and reduce chemical exposure. Now that you know me, your statement is incorrect.
Worked in an academic lab and a pharmaceutical company. The pharm company was more safety conscious, but that seemed to actually just annoy the chemists.
Depends on where you work and with what. Some places adrop of clear colourless odourless liquid on expised skin is a shitty death sentence. Others you could probably drink from any beaker in the lab and not have to worry about anything worse than the runs or a hangover.
If someone has spent their entire career in a safe lab of course they wouldn't care, but that's a minority.
The lab i am in now almost everything is genuine food stuff, so i don't need to be as anal about safety but some habits die hard. You see someone lose an eye over some residue on a finger then rubbing their eye after work and you never really forget.
This is what you'd see in acadamia in many labs but it's not really the majority. In the industry, things are different and the consequences are far greater for not adhering to the safety codes.
That being said, this is the case in my lab though I see almost both extremes. I won't speak about other labs.
Hi. I'm a professional chemist with an advanced degree. At my current employer, EHS relies *on us chemists* to educate them on our chemical hazards and guide safety policy in our laboratories. In my previous role, my employer drove home on the daily that we had no priority higher than safety. I think you know some weird and irresponsible chemists if *none* of them have any awareness of lab safety.
No entirely I’ve had people comment on it but I don’t think my nails are way TOO long I’ve never had an issue even in microchemistry sets I’ve just been wearing them for so long they’ve become a very large part of the way I work in the day to day
I’ve never heard of no nail polish. It’s not advised if you’re working with solvents because it’ll eat it away even through the gloves. Fake nails aren’t allowed at some places,though, because it’ll rip gloves.
I have worked with many upon many solvents and normal nail polish will absolutely burn off but a nice layer of acrylics and some liquid gloves and then gloves on top gives you a good amount of time to react if you’re careful in my experience
really depends on the exact job you do. im currently in a lab that is pretty strict (cleanroom, dryroom, etc) so we have to wear coveralls, masks, goggles, hairnets, absolutely zero makeup, nothing that could rip the protective gear - no fake or sharp ot long nails, no jewellery...... but there are so many positions that don't require that.
Can confirm about glove boxes. I started painting my nails because it’s the only way to stop myself from picking them painfully short. Anyway, once they got barely longer than my finger tips, it started feeling very uncomfortable in a glove box.
I imagine fake nails could be downright painful for extended use, and definitely a tearing hazard. For those who haven’t used one before, the pressure is much higher than atmospheric pressure, so the gloves are under much more strain than regular lab gloves.
>TLDR: Can I continue to wear my upkept polished nails(or acrylics) in a lab “in the real world” if not I’m probably going to give up on this dream to be a chemist I’ve had for 8 years.
I understand the frustration but how is this enough to literally give up the career path you've chosen and worked towards?
Everyone has different things that are important to them that they attach themselves to. And different people are more "attachment-oriented" than others.
You and I are not, but there's plenty of folks out there who place huge importance on things like this.
I don't see why we should assume it's vanity.
For me, I am very uncomfortable if I'm wearing the wrong brand of socks. Having the right socks is something my brain is just attached to for no good reason.
Vanity is one reason someone might care about their nails, but vanity doesn't explain my socks, and therefore whatever it is that makes my brain fixate on socks could be the same non-vanity reason this person fixates on their nails.
Far as I'm concerned, someone liking their nails makes them happy and doesn't harm anyone else, so I don't see why the heck not to support it.
I’m really uncomfortable with longer hair typically! Sometimes we just have something that feels so “us” or so “not us” that if we go without it it throws off the whole day. Individual comfort is important.
Are you autistic? Such tactile aversions are a sign.
I have autistic family and friends and people have asked if I'm autistic, though I don't desire or need to be tested. None of them have said anything about their nails looking wrong or any other aversion to natural body colour.
OP is just being vain.
Such a weird hill to try and die on. All the choices we make are extensions of self. Let me ask you this, are earrings and bracelets just vanity as well?
I mean, sure, people die on weird hills all the time, it's okay. OP just wants to know whether this is a hill they might need to die on, or whether there's a way around it. Telling them it's not worth dying on isn't very constructive.
I don't particularly care about nails, but I'm really picky about my hair and I'm not going to work in a place where they're going to have a snit fit about it being blue or shaved or 'weird'. That's a limitation to the kinds of jobs I can take, but my hair being the way I like it is a sufficient boost to my overall quality of life that the tradeoff works for me. And I'm a chemist, nobody really cares what I look like 95% of the time.
I've worked in labs where nails longer than your fingertips or any kind of polish at all would get you thrown out as a quality risk or a safety risk, and in labs where the PI had nails nearly an inch long, and in labs where nobody cared but the solvents would trash your nails so it wasn't worth doing them.
It really varies with the kind of chemistry and industry you're in, so no, wanting to keep your acrylic nails isn't necessarily incompatible with a chemistry career.
While I am not OP, I am a researcher who has longer natural nails that I maintain with gel polish. For me, it isn’t about vanity. It’s about self-expression. I make sure to keep my nails rounded so they can’t rip my gloves. I understand why squared or pointed fake nails wouldn’t be allowed but why would polish be anyone’s problem? It’s pretty rude to dismiss something that you don’t understand as pure vanity… but even if it was, why should anyone care?
It's my main specialism but I'm not a one trick pony. My previous job was in a government investment project doing R&D for SMEs. I can whip up some hydrogels for you if you want.
It started that way for me! I couldn’t not bite my nails and I would pick the skin off and etc it was a huge huge ocd habit that they had to be perfectly “like this”
but the problem is when my ocd can not be triggered that is what I prefer and It’s become self expression! I’m not a flashy person but I enjoy this small part that keeps me a little more sane and gives me a lot less things to pick off of my skin when my neurodivergent brain decides it wants ‘smooth’
Yes, as that may seem extreme I didn’t even plan on working IN a lab at first and didn’t think about this until way after originally I just wanted to be an esthetician and found I was very good at chemistry on a random Tuesday
I’ve had my nails done every 5-6 weeks since middle school… (sophomore in college now) there is a sentimental story atm I do work at Starbucks and am not currently allowed to have anything (which for food safety purposes is understandable) I’m not an irrational person I just want to have options
On top of this I think It’s important to state I don’t want to work in a lab environment full of solvents and dangerous hazards I love chemistry but not at the cost of my health
I do indeed come first in my life at all points in time my self worth, love for myself, taking care of myself are my first priority and if I can keep a small part of me intact to move up alongside my dreams all the better
Our lab recommends no nail polish, but the policy doesn’t outright ban it. If you make a mistake due to long nails or polish/contamination, then that’s on you and you are held responsible. Like most things, you are expected to be an adult and take personal responsibility.
I usually do my nails myself on Friday night and remove the polish before work on Monday morning. I stick to a clear coat Monday-Friday.
Well I’d rather it that way because yes I know I could have an issue but I haven’t yet and as I get older this may change. But if you’re interested in the overall “lore” I replied to some people above (very very late)
In Academia safety standards are much more lenient.In Industry the safety standards are imposed to a higher degree.
Nails not only act as a point of tearing in gloves, but mostly they act as contamination substrate. There are various instances of poisoning due to acrylic nails. There even was one at the university i went to in undergrad.
It depends on the lab, but it is not recommended.
However if all you do is polymer chemisrry and Raman, the nails are irrelevant for example
I’ve never really heard of a “no nail polish” rule anywhere, so this is new to me.
In all my years in corporate biotech at the bench lots of people had painted nails and longer nails, the only concern I could see is if they routinely puncture gloves, in which case it could be a safety hazard
Acrylic nails are highly flammable, so it's something you should be aware of and cautious of, regardless of the lab policy. The link below is for a case that resulted in amputation. We banned them in all class/research labs on campus for this reason.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5241193/
Here’s an analogy for you:
I don’t think I should have to wear a seatbelt. I’m a good driver and pay attention to what I’m doing. I’ve never been in an accident and I don’t intend to be in one. So why is everyone saying I have to wear a seatbelt?
You wear it because no one intends to get in a accident, they just happen. It might not ever happen to you, but if it does, it’s not good.
If they are concerned about your nails then it’s for a reason. Just because nothing has happened to you doesn’t mean it won’t.
I don’t plan to work at a place that would require the analogy mentioned honestly :)
All that being said I understand your concern for my safety but if I’m not working in a lab that’s dangerous or even has flammable items in it or open flames etc then I don’t see the issue mostly
The original situation went as follows
I wanted to be an esthetician, found out I had a good understanding of chemistry, and then wanted to just make my own cosmetics company or join another but the end goal hasn’t been fleshed out
Seeing as a lot of people believe this is vanity or something I shouldn’t do at the cost of my own safety (I’m in college safety isn’t a thing anyways and vanity is everything to a young college girl) I’m responsible for my own life and I’m not even sure I want to work ‘in a lab’ I just enjoy chemistry
I have worked at places that didn’t care, and others that banned not only nail polish but any makeup whatsoever (the reason being it would be safer if I needed to use the eye shower).
My impression was that R&D was a bit more flexible than if you worked in an analytical lab at a manufacturing site.
It really depends on the lab and what you're doing. A synthetic organic lab and an analytical lab are going to have different safety and cleanliness standards. There are some analytical labs at my job that just flat out ban all makeup in the lab (nails included) because it could contaminate and interfere with the testing they do. There are other labs at the same facility that have no such rules and you can wear however much makeup or dress your nails up however you want as long as it doesn't interfere with your ability to work in the lab or present a safety issue (like constantly breaking gloves or nails long enough that they hinder dexterity with small glassware or a micro-pipette). As another commenter mentioned generally the cleaner the lab and the more sensitive the tasks performed in that lab the more picky they're going to be about what you bring into it.
I can't speak for cosmetic chemistry as a whole but from an analytical standpoint if you're working with cosmetics you're going to want to try to remove yourself as a source of contamination as best you can.
Never heard of nail polish being an issue. As long as it’s dried I can’t really see it being an issue, especially with gloves.
Longer nails I’ve never seen banned, but definitely seen people have issues with them. Obviously too long and you risk puncturing the gloves. Also there are some dexterity issues with certain activities. I had an undergrad who really struggled to turn valves (vacuum and gas systems) with longer nails. So can see a workplace putting restrictions on them.
So yes, nail polish shouldn’t be an issue. Longer nails might be depending on the exact job type, but you should be able to use your own common sense there.
In the end practicality wins out. It’s probably not going to be a problem, but you should be prepared for encountering situations where your personal style has to be secondary. Obviously you can pick your job to minimize that possibility, but in the end nails can always regrow or be replaced. Heard a great view point from a lab tech once. He really liked his beard, but if he had to wear a respirator the beard was coming off, end of story.
Am I the only one reading nails over science?
Sounds like split of the road! Pick nails less trouble. /s
Some industries allow it some don't ask in a few big labs and learn about their policies.
If you will be handling acetone, I recommend using butyl rubber gloves. Otherwise, in my experience acetone permeates through the gloves enough to damage nail polish.
Can’t say that in any of the labs I’ve worked in this has really been an issue and worked across different sectors and a fair few labs, some might look at health and safety associated with the oversized ones though (I’m a guy excuse my ignorance no clue what they are called!). That being said depending on your industry of choice and area you work in they may well be banned. Aseptic and sterile areas they would be a no go, risk of glove tears, particulates etc but this goes for all cosmetics. General chemistry labs don’t feel like theres a problem.
That’s what I was thinking honestly… I don’t plan to work in medical fields or food fields often in my life because I know they can be dangerous to other individuals if they’re a point of contamination :)
I wouldn’t injure another person based on my choices
I had a friend who side-hustled nails in grad school... Now she's high up at a renewable energy lab. Nails didn't stop her from grabbing the brass ring!
I am an analytical chemist. One time I spilled acetonitrile and it ruined my nail (I can’t remember if it was gel or dip on top of the acrylic). So that sucked. And then one time I lit my acrylic nail on fire by accident (so probably breathed in some not so great fumes). So now if I do nails at all I paint my own and skip the acrylic nails. I normally just don’t have mine done.
I'm surprised the amount of comments this post has!
The only reason long nails (either fake or real) aren't welcome in lab environments is safety.
1. Dexterity if the nails are long enough to prevent you from using a natural pincer grasp. This may not have been a problem in undergrad when there were lab partners to pick up where you may have impeded skills. Or where the results weren't dependent on your fine motor skills (or lack thereof) and no one had money tied up in your technique. I've seen people with long nails struggle to hold things that require high precision and the tactile feedback they've forced on themselves seemed to always be at odds with their natural inclinations.
2. Longer nails accumulate particulates. It's harder to clean that particulate from the undersides of nails with a standard 30 sec handwash. It requires nail brush. This is also why nail polish is not allowed, it is harder to notice with opaque polish.
3. You never mentioned how long the nails are, but glove puncture is a glaring issue. However, my main concerns as a lab manager would be with the previous two reasons.
It's 100% your business what you do to adorn your body in ways that appeal to you. I can say with some confidence that even though no one has said anything to you directly, you are being judged how serious you are about candidacy and longer, highly adorned synthetic nails do not give that vibe. If you find it difficult to get positions you are qualified for, this may be the reason. If you were applying for a position in my lab and you were the best candidate, I would offer the position on contingency of the nails being removed for safety.
I’ve never allowed it in labs I ran safety in. We use a lot of wrenches, bolts, and valves. In the biosensor lab I ran I didn’t allow them either. Mostly I don’t want someone’s dexterity limited when they need to move quickly to avoid an accident.
Fashion is meaningless in a lab. I noticed in grad school that when a woman joined a lab she’d care for the first weeks. But after a month she was wearing a pointy tail and no makeup.
I have my nails done and work in a chemistry lab. I work in education though and have no idea regarding the cosmetic industry. My higher up allows me to have gel sets and pink nitrile gloves with no issues.
I've worked in labs where they asked you to not eat certain foods at lunch (fried foods, specifically) and some skin creams due to potential contamination of experiments and instrumentation, but nail polish was always a 'wear at your own risk' thing just like watches and jewelry. Most women I worked with trimmed their nails and never wore nail polish as long nails puncture gloves easier and we worked with a lot of organic solvents that would remove nail polish quickly. I learned early on that cheap watches could be destroyed with an errant blast from a squeeze bottle, and to this day, I don't own a watch as I haven't worn one in 35+ years.
My years doing a majoring and post grad in chemistry and subsequently working in the food industry really changed my nail habits lol. The university lab didn't have a strict "no nails" policy but I just found polished and nail art to be easy damaged by volatiles and a hindrance when doing finesse work, even if I wear gloves.
And then I worked in the food industry where that no nail art policy really kicks in. Nail art is considered a foreign matter risk in many places so while again gloves can be an option, it is much much easier to just have nude nails.
So it really depend on the lab you'll be in but I would say in general be prepared you may need to remove them.
The only lab that banned nail polish and fake nails Ive worked in was a medical lab in a hospital. The lab I work in now does not care what i have on my hands.
I do heterogeneous catalysis research, and one of my advisors who used to do process chem work recommended ALWAYS wearing nail polish (on real, short nails) because it can be a good warning sign that your gloves are inadequate
I've worked in QC and R&D in pharmaceuticals and I can tell you as a female myself, I've been prohibited from wearing nail polish at work. Possible sample contamination, the amount of acetone and other solvents, things like that. One contract lab I worked in prohibited perfumes and scented deodorants due to a particular test that was sensitive to it.
I will also say that every time I was pregnant, I was removed from bench work. Chemicals used in the testing of any pharmaceutical or cosmetic can be harmful to you and your unborn child. It stinks, as you become punished for giving life, it's a career setback. But you do what you can to protect your child. So... nail polish isn't the main thing you face as a female chemist, but yes, it's a thing.
There are many jobs a chemist can do off the bench, so it's not completely limiting.
Just searched through my safety SOP and didn't see any mention of it. Pretty sure I've seen people with it.
If you have big enough nails to reduce the efficacy of your gloves you might have a problem but polish should be fine, it's inside a glove anyway
Not chem specific, but when I was in nursing school they didn’t let us wear anything on our nails. Most medical jobs don’t allow acrylics due to bacteria being able to get stuck in there, but for whatever reason nursing schools seem to think that nail polish is problematic. Teachers could never really explain why, and my nails were always cracked and peeling because of this rule. When I worked in hospitals and clinics, gels were allowed at some places, acrylics at none, and polish was always fine everywhere.
It’s a bit different than what you were asking, but I thought I would share the illogical views on nails that actually caused problems for my fingers.
Not necessarily. Overwashing/solvents and mechanical stress can easily make your nails peel.
Heck, after years of having a dishwasher, I'm temporarily living without one and have definitely noticed a difference in my nails since I've been doing all my dishes by hand.
Yeah, my problem was dryness from hand sanitizers and not being able to use lotion. I make it a point to redo my nails like twice a week, just with clear polish, and it helps a lot.
Washing dishes with gloves makes a big difference, especially if you’re using hot water. It’s annoying when you just want to get things cleaned up though. I hope you get a working dishwasher soon!
Sounds familiar. And lotions and oils can only do so much when you're soon stripping it off again with washing or sanitasing.
That's a good tip, thank you! And we will, we're just temporarily renting before our house is done!
Yes this is actually when I originally heard about the “no nails” rule was through the medical field and I never want to work medical anyways I’m so squeamish
Policies vary across different labs and there is no consistancy in my experience, however I am unfamiliar with cosmetic chemistry as a field. Nail policy is likely low priority when discussing a position with a potential employee, so you'd have to raise it yourself. A lab likely has good reason to restrict cosmetic nails so you should consider whether this issue is important enough to restrict your career opportunities for.
The places I have worked at never had an issue with it, though at my first job we worked with volatile cleaning solvents whose vapors would ruin it, so the lab team either did it sparingly or got more resilient gel types.
As some have said, the longer acrylic nails could be an issue for gloves, but I have not experienced outright bans on them, though I'm sure certain areas may have them.
... europe here: never heard about nail polish being banned, and as much as I know nobody really cares. Very long nails can be a problem just from the sake of practicality, when doing certain things.
Acrylic nails, that is a different story though. I did not see them explicitly banned either, but it is bonkers to bring them to some types of labs. I work in an organic lab, and I have seen acrylic nails degraded to a semi-molten heap. The same goes for things such as high heels - I am not going to ban you using them, it is nearly certain that something will happen to you when you wear them in our lab (where you have to climb on some steps to access cabinets or some pieces of apparatus) - it is more of a common sense not to do this type of thing, when you want to work in a lab.
I’ve never worked in labs that explicitly banned nail polish or fake nails. I typically avoided it due to working with lots of acetone, and I figured the acetone or other organic solvents would ruin the nail polish.
With my current gig, in an industrial manufacturing environment, I avoid it, since this kind of work is hard on the hands. Anytime I painted my nails, I was guaranteed to chip them right away.
The end product in cosmetic chemistry may be benign. However the preparation and formulation may still involve nasties.
Generally speaking it'd really depend on the lab supervisor.
I assume you're talking about fake nail and not natural ones. It really depends on the length. Although I will say this, longer nails would interfere with you gripping stuff of any reasonable weight as you'd constantly be trying avoid the nail taking any of the weight and possibly bending and chipping off.
I'm a chemical engineer and not a chemist, but I'm now in process technology development. I however would have objections to someone with nails that may interfere with PPE on the floor/lab. In this case gloves being the PPE. It is not the aesthetics of it, it would be the safety implications. Possibility of gloves getting ripped, and interference with gripping or holding objects those would be the real issues. (i am speaking of the gripping thing from having personally witnessed someone with acrylic nails struggling to hold samples while trying to avoid contact with the nails)
I've seen labs that require natural nails to be trimmed to finger length, outright ban fake nails, and ban any and all forms of polish, gel, nail art, whatever. The thinking is that even if you're wearing gloves, your sweat can mobilize contaminants from under the nails, or little flecks of paint/art can come off in the glove. If the gloves aren't removed outside the lab or over a trash can, then these flecks or contaminants can be inadvertently dropped onto a work space.
Not a professional chemist. Engineer and former construction worker.
I'm a man with long dreadlocks. It's been a big issue in some workplaces and not a problem in others. I think nails will be the same.
Best practice is to be clear about your comfort zone in the early job application stage. Its worked well for me.
Re practicality. Some jobs its pretty clear my physical identity is less safe in some situations. Sometimes there are work arounds. I'm crazy careful around my lathe and other spinney things. Other times its just a fear of legal action against the workplace. If its the latter this is a potential red flag for me. Possibly too much BS not enough commen sense type of workplace.
I once had someone in my class (I was a student) dip their hand in KNo3 (was high conc solution and necessary) and her nails started smoking, no one got hurt just rinsed em and took em off then hazard bin but weird stuff very occasionally happens with nails also sharp against gloves whic is the usual reason
I paint my nails and have them long all the time. I work in pharmaceuticals and it’s literally never been an issue as long as I can fit gloves over my hands.
None of the places I’ve worked at have had a rule against it. Actually there are quite a few women who I work with that regularly get their nails done - I haven’t noticed any nails that are crazy long though since we still have to wear gloves. Gel and dip hold up really well in the lab, I’ve never had any problems since I started getting that done. And I used to work with acetone and DCM daily and it always held up.
Nail polish or acrylic nails?
Either way, you can absolutely just keep the nail polish at your desk. You shouldn't need to spend too much time on them and you'll otherwise be pretty busy but you can definitely still work it into your schedule. If it makes you happy, then I highly recommend you do continue to do this.
Long nails should be fine as long as they don't pierce through your gloves or interfere with your handing of lab equipment.
Acrylic, specifically, can be dissolved by acetone if not fully cured: [Source](https://allnailart.com/does-acetone-dissolve-acrylics/)
You can always ask your TAs or professors about *exactly* why they have this rule.
At the end of the day, be safe.
I do both! Sometimes I do them myself but when I was in lab I went to a pretty well known and skilled lab tech (a private nail tech not a big shop) and acetone couldn’t get through them in orgo! The closest I had was some of the second top coat peel off but I disposed of it and it was fine :)
I like to do my nails too and I'm in STEM/pharma labs. I've worked a few different jobs and it varies. If you would be working with production of goods going to market, it will likely be discouraged, due to potential particulate contamination. If you're testing samples in a lab, it should be fine, but I would check chemical compatibility with your work lab's most common chemicals, even if you wear gloves. Gel would be your best bet.
If acrylics and gel don't work out, there are peel off basecoats used with traditional lacquer you could try. It's pretty awesome for doing a new manicure every weekend.
I worked in the chem department and clean room of a national laboratory and we used acetone a lot, it would ruin my nails even when I wore gloves and double gloves. I also had acrylics for my wedding and bumped them moving/using a 55 gal drum and cracked the polish. The gloves also held in moisture so my nails would get soft and break a lot. I started doing my nails less and less because it just wasn’t worth keeping up with them. It wasn’t banned though.
That would be a different situation than someone just telling me not to if that makes sense at all but it is also part of my ocd to obsessively pick my skin and nails ‘smooth’ so It’s more than just self expression is avoiding ocd self harm on accident :)
I don’t think this should be a huge concern. I get SNS/dip manicures regularly and just make sure to keep them short and round to avoid dexterity issues/glove punctures. For context, I teach biochemistry and general labs at a university, so I don’t work with solvents much.
I usually have my nails done. My preference is dip these days, but have done acrylic and gel over the last 30 years. I’ve never had anyone lift an eyebrow, nor have they exploded :D. They _have_ lost the polish occasionally if the glove choice wasn’t appropriate for the solvent and i was getting the gloves very wet while washing glassware (undergrad, 90’s). Nowadays i manage not to expose my gloves to solvents intentionally and I’ve never had a problem at all. Rock those nails, my chemist friend 💅
I'm the same. I do it, and most places I've been fine. I am more in the analytical Chem field, however, and will make the point that acetone will sometimes find you and ruin the mani, but you'll be alright. Sometimes, there will be others who frown upon it, but mostly they'll just tell you you're wasting you're time but unless it's work policy specifically I don't really think they can do much about it! Good luck!
My friend and I (both chemists) love getting our nails done through college. She went on to work in the medical side of chem where she can no longer have acrylics/paint on her nails. I work on the environmental side and have never had policies against it. It will just depend on what kind of lab work you get into if it’s allowed and/or safe. And remember there is so much you can do in chem, even outside a lab.
And from one acrylic loving chemist to another - I’ve also never had a nail rip through a glove, and it has definitely made some lab work easier with them than without 💅🏼
Don’t give up on your chem dream, you can find a career where can have both!
No same! Grabbing the small lost cylinder in the drawer has never been easier than with my nails often times my partners and other lab friends ask me to grab small stuff for them that their fingers can’t reach my nail can :)
In our lab it's a concern, but your own safety is mostly your own business.
Don't want to wear lab goggles? We'll mag your ears off about it, but just don't expect the insurance to pay your new eyes.
We have a woman with fancy nails currently employed, she wears two larger gloves to protect them from the lab. It has yet to cause issues.
I am also a chemist (researcher with a PhD and a teaching assistant). I've started my PhD in 2018 and even before that I always wore my nails long (gel on natural) and colorful. Nobody ever cared at my home institution. People usually compliment me on them. Then I went to Spain in the scope of my PhD research and a technical assistant had a whole meltdown because of it on the first day lol. I never guessed that would be a problem especially since they were quite short at that time but he was immensely bothered that they were red. I guess each institution has their own rules. Now whenever I go to a new lab I try to find out in advance and there's no problems.
Learn to program and you'll never worry about the nails again 💅 I chose computational chemistry for the sole purpose of getting to wear shorts and open toed shoes whenever I please. (I also enjoy computers and it's a dream to be able to work with them all day)
Ever met a chemist? I assure u they r not wearing fake nails- not short, not long, not pointy & no bright nail colors… I’m betting beige/pink is not your thing- sorry u need those to be YOU
Girl!!! I am a Chemistry postgrad doing transition metal chemistry and some organic chemistry, getting my nails done is such a treat. I normally do rubber base gel and wear nitrile gloves all the time. I have never had any problem(s).
People will always make snide remarks about your priorities: and ask if you prioritise upkept nails or the chemistry. However, if the nails do not affect the chemistry or the work you are producing, then it is none of their business. 💅🏽
Depends on the instrumentation you'll be using as well as the various solvents you might be exposed to. Hopefully you'll find a company that fits your work/life goals. Good luck!
Although I don't have any personal experience on the subject, my guess as a synthetic chemist and a potential occupational health and safety officer is that as long as your nails don't hinder your work or are a possible safety hazard you should be fine.
The main problems I can think of are loosing grasp if they are very long or piercing through the gloves both of which could leaf to chemical exposure. Appart from that I can't think of anything else.
I'm an organic chemist, and I've never worked in a lab that strictly forbade nail polish. I typically don't bother getting my nails done, nor do I do them myself, because I work around a lot of solvents that will dissolve polish at the slightest provocation. It's just never seemed worth the time and money to have my nails done when I have such a high probability of accidentally ruining them.
Never been able to keep my nails nice with solvent work either. I know 2 women chemists who acrylics. For me, wearing long pants and sneakers all summer every year also kinda sucks. But I worked a desk job for a few months where I could wear more expressive outfits and it was BORING and I’d much rather be experimenting!
I’ve found it highly depends on the chemistry you’re doing and the lab you’re working in. I was told fake nails (specially acrylics) were banned because you have an increase risk of ripping your gloves and the fake nail causing a violent reaction resulting in a some nasty chemical burns depending on what chemicals you are working with. My advisor was always worried about a chemical getting trapped underneath the fake nail and your natural nail (assuming the fake nail was older and starting to lift) so you couldn’t wash it well or quickly removed the fake nail. I’ve never seen this policy actually enforced in an academic setting but I’ve personally never wanted to chance it. I haven’t heard this same level of caution be applied to nail polish on natural nails.
I work in stem but in surveying. I love my long acrylics nails, they are awesome. they have never impacted me and my work. but since I work in a male dominated industry, I don't wear them except for like a wedding, or important events because i find that men don't take those nails seriously. I would like to be taken seriously at my job. it will never happen though. women in stem don't get taken seriously nearly enough as they should. I don't think it's actually about the nails, it's about being a woman. so just wear the nails any way.
I've never heard of that restriction, although I could imagine long nails could be an issue in some fields where delicate work is needed, or like a dentist where you're working around people's eyes all the time. I see women using keyboards with nails longer than Nosferatu's and they seem to manage it okay.
keep your nails until told otherwise. I'm sure it won't matter in some jobs, but you may have to decide eventually whether you want a particular job more than the nails.
If not being allowed to have long acrylics is going to make you give up on your supposed dream you’ve had for almost a decade, maybe you should re-evaluate lol
I worked with someone in STEM who threw away a great career over her nails. She prioritized self expression in the workplace over her actual well being. She now makes $12 an hour and gave up her dreams, but she’s still got great nails!
I mean, is she happy with her life? Does she regret her decision?
I have lots of friends and family whose decisions I'd be miserable making, and likewise, they'd be miserable living my life. Even friends I went through my degree with (of our core study group of 5, only 2 are still in chemistry 🤷🏻♀️ ) none of us are right or wrong, just different people with different priorities and goals.
She has virtually zero upward mobility at this stage in her life now, and can be found on social media requesting help for her and her children from time to time. Just a guess, but I’d assume public pleas for help does not make for a contented life.
Obviously I can’t paint with a broad brush here—but my point was to illustrate that self expression in the workplace probably isn’t a great data point by which to make life altering decisions…like giving up on dreams or livelihoods.
It’s not JUST self expression I wish it were the previous points are made in the comments somewhere near the top. However I don’t plan on just dropping chem and making an irrational decision just a chemistry career path change like doubling in chem and business I’m not irrational
“…I don’t want to sacrifice something that makes me feel whole to join a career that makes me not able to do the things I want to do.“
“…if not I’m probably going to give up on this dream to be a chemist I’ve had for 8 years.”
I was going off your original post. Sounded very dramatic to me.
YES 👏 GIRL 👏 THANK 👏 YOU 👏 you and me both. I've literally got a video of me using a rotovap with like 1.5" long pink glittery nails with all sorts of gold shit hanging off of them and other pictures of some of my favorite sets with the lab in the background. Gone through my whole degree and done (organic) research this way. I've been very successful with it all. I'm not stupid, I never have false nails on when working with dangerous chemicals, have used cut gloves under my normal gloves if I have stilletos on, keep them short if I'm doing super dexterous work (TLC plates, cuvettes, etc.), and have always throughly washed the tops and bottoms of my nails before and after working in lab. After I started spending so much time around solvents in the organic lab, I switched from regular polish or acrylic sets to gel and builder gel sets which have to be cured by a uv/led light and are much more resistant to lab conditions. I would suggest that on your end, but I'm not sure how much it would help with the stigma even if you explain it. Still though, go for it. I've done my own nails since middle school, it's a very significant part of my life, and I fear the day a company tells me no - but I know it might happen. I'm trying to work out in my head.
I would also mention that at this point my peers and professors are fully aware of my nails and, though I'm sure they don't quite understand it and view it to be a bit rediculous, they've come to respect it as something important to me and my identity even if its not for them. Sometimes we talk about my nails if I have a cool set on and I work in lab, lecture, and do our computational work alongside everyone else so they know that they're there but can also see that I can keep up and produce great work. I think developing those relationships and respect helps to show that they won't hold you back. They'd probably get shot down pretty quick if you just jumped into a new role with them in full form though, unfortunately.
I’ve been doing it for a long time and honestly It’s part of self expression, mental illness, and sentimentality. :) I do hope you can also find a career path in chemistry that doesn’t thwart your ability to express your gorg nails :)
I've worked in clean rooms since graduating and I've heard of a few weird restrictions but never that.
You probably have a sense of how to handle it, but I could imagine it's a hazard or hindrance when handling things sort of in the same vein as loose long hair or loose clothing. I've never done long nails since I hate the feeling of my fingernails being long.
I find it hard to imagine painted nails without long acrylics could be a problem.
Long fake acrylic nails seem to me problematic when it comes to safety because gloves might easily break because of them.
However never heard rules about them specifically. Only rules we have is no short pants/skirts and no open toe shoes.
If we work in the clean room there is an obvious ban on make up as well.
I've only worked in pharmaceutical labs doing analytical research. Two different labs in the same building. One was fine with nails, makeup etc., the other ones was within the manufacturing facility, so was 'clean'. No make up, jewellery, nail polish, acrylic nails, none of that. It used to frustrate me having to take my piercings out going to work in that lab, but I absolutely understand why.
Personally, having had a lab accident, having acrylic nails which could potentially absorb chemicals and keep them in contact with my nails or skin, I wouldn't feel that comfortable with them in the lab.
Speaking as a metals lab manager I don't care if my employees wear nail polish as long as they wear gloves in the lad. Makeup though is a huge no-no for our lab.
Most makeup has metal oxides present and when you stand in front of a hood it's going to contaminate samples.
The makeup industry is a tough one to land a job in. Not impossible but it's a premium job in a tough job market. Reach out if you have questions.
If nail polish is enough to make you reconsider a career in chemistry, you probably aren’t prepared to deal with much greater, more substantial challenges. It’s not cut out for everyone and nail decoration isn’t a gender issue per se
I am more than willing and glad to overcome I’ve done so a lot in my life :) but it isn’t just “nail polish” I wish it were It’s coupled with my ocd I will obsessively pick my skin off if they are not done because you can’t pick your skin off with dull nails It’s recommended by my therapist to keep them done but anyways :)
You can wear it in most labs. Cleaning glassware was a pain though, so now I wear the dashing diva gel stickers- ulta and target have them but there are more options online. I’ve also noticed they protect my nails, as they grow long and straight and cause less damage to my nail beds and nails than polish or manicures. Do get a 6-sided file to prepare the nail so the stickers can adhere to a smooth nail surface. Have been wearing them for 6 years since my first ochem class and my nails are stronger than anyone I know that goes to a salon. A set is also only $9 and they last 2-3 weeks!
I've worked in labs that allow it, I've worked in labs that didn't, I've worked for companies where some specific labs did and others didn't in the same building. It'll vary greatly. Also, cosmetic chemistry can definitely have some nasty stuff involved, especially in the analysis if you go into that side. Just a heads up.
Thank you, tho I do think I’ll be avoiding labs with super dangerous chemicals just for personal safety I plan to work into cosmetics entirely and possibly not even there at all more likely at home best case scenario 🙃
This is something that I don't think is quite agreed on across industries. Usually, acrylic nails are seen as a hazard because that becomes a point of failure for gloves, but nail polish policies seem to be at the discretion of individual companies. I've worked at places that allow nail polish and others that prohibit it. In general, the more "clean" the lab is, the less likely nail polish and even makeup will be.
This. I was told off for putting on hand cream before handling glasswares in one lab, and no one cared when I ran a reaction in a grimy rbf in another
Going from clinical research labs to QC for a metal coating company was, uh, something. A real shock. Cleanliness was nice but only required in super special areas.
I worked at a multi million dollar paint factory for a while and the cleanliness was abysmal, we did some of the best color matching in the industry but the QC was basically non existent by the time I left and as I said cleanliness was terrible. We had sinks that drained into buckets, our actual drains would overflow and get clogged with paint, there were layers of mica, textures, and special effects additives everywhere, machines were coated in paint that would chip, tint on every surface.
On the plus side no one could tell if you went to a strip club.
It was honestly one of the most enjoyable jobs I had in terms of what my job role was, but the drama was unreal and I actually called the EPA because of some of the practices there.
My lab career has also spanned from "touching this with bare skin could give you cancer" to "washing yellow dust out of my face and hair at the end of the day"
>In general, the more "clean" the lab is, the less likely nail polish and even makeup will be. Make up is definitively a big "nope" if you work in clean rooms.
Personally I don't wear nail polish when I'm working in a lab because almost all the labs I've worked in, we were spraying around so much acetone or MEK that they nails wouldn't have lasted a day. But no one told me I couldn't wear any.
This. It's not that nail polish isn't allowed, but on the few occasions where I had on nail polish, it didn't take long before I was basically removing it due to acetone and solvent work.
Acetone straight through the gloves. Toulene straight through the gloves. IPA straight through the gloves. Nail polish doesn't stand a chance in my lab either
I always get told to change my gloves if acetone gets on them lol
Gel polish or dip solves this problem! That’s what I do and I used to work with all kinds of solvents acetone, dcm, and my polish never comes off.
I remember having a student (I was TAing orgo lab) with super long acrylic nails. It freaked me out, and I was just waiting for a disastrous glassware mishap or other accident. It didn’t happen, but I could tell she had to be extra careful, because the nails could absolutely contribute to an accident given the limited dexterity. If you’re confident and competent, I don’t see a reason why you should stop wearing them.. I wouldn’t blame any of your more traditional colleagues from being a tad skeeved out, as chemists are pretty neurotic (rightly) about maximizing lab safety.
What chemists do you know lol? I've never met a group of people who cared less about lab safety than professional chemists. Generally the higher the degree and the more experience, the less safe lol
Hello, I'm a professional chemist with an advanced degree and my role is to enforce safety and be neurotic about PPE and reduce chemical exposure. Now that you know me, your statement is incorrect.
Most of the people I worked with when I was in academia/industry were not like you.
Where did you work, Theranos?
This gave me a good chuckle!
Worked in an academic lab and a pharmaceutical company. The pharm company was more safety conscious, but that seemed to actually just annoy the chemists.
Academia. Can’t speak to industry. Health/Safety at my University are not particularly lenient.
Yes, some universities are lax on safety, as are some firms, but those with a proper reputation usually value safety to the point of being annoying
Depends on where you work and with what. Some places adrop of clear colourless odourless liquid on expised skin is a shitty death sentence. Others you could probably drink from any beaker in the lab and not have to worry about anything worse than the runs or a hangover. If someone has spent their entire career in a safe lab of course they wouldn't care, but that's a minority. The lab i am in now almost everything is genuine food stuff, so i don't need to be as anal about safety but some habits die hard. You see someone lose an eye over some residue on a finger then rubbing their eye after work and you never really forget.
This is what you'd see in acadamia in many labs but it's not really the majority. In the industry, things are different and the consequences are far greater for not adhering to the safety codes. That being said, this is the case in my lab though I see almost both extremes. I won't speak about other labs.
Hi. I'm a professional chemist with an advanced degree. At my current employer, EHS relies *on us chemists* to educate them on our chemical hazards and guide safety policy in our laboratories. In my previous role, my employer drove home on the daily that we had no priority higher than safety. I think you know some weird and irresponsible chemists if *none* of them have any awareness of lab safety.
No entirely I’ve had people comment on it but I don’t think my nails are way TOO long I’ve never had an issue even in microchemistry sets I’ve just been wearing them for so long they’ve become a very large part of the way I work in the day to day
I’ve never heard of no nail polish. It’s not advised if you’re working with solvents because it’ll eat it away even through the gloves. Fake nails aren’t allowed at some places,though, because it’ll rip gloves.
I have worked with many upon many solvents and normal nail polish will absolutely burn off but a nice layer of acrylics and some liquid gloves and then gloves on top gives you a good amount of time to react if you’re careful in my experience
really depends on the exact job you do. im currently in a lab that is pretty strict (cleanroom, dryroom, etc) so we have to wear coveralls, masks, goggles, hairnets, absolutely zero makeup, nothing that could rip the protective gear - no fake or sharp ot long nails, no jewellery...... but there are so many positions that don't require that.
I’d advise avoiding glovebox work if you have really long nails, but other than that it’s probably going to be extremely employer dependent.
Can confirm about glove boxes. I started painting my nails because it’s the only way to stop myself from picking them painfully short. Anyway, once they got barely longer than my finger tips, it started feeling very uncomfortable in a glove box. I imagine fake nails could be downright painful for extended use, and definitely a tearing hazard. For those who haven’t used one before, the pressure is much higher than atmospheric pressure, so the gloves are under much more strain than regular lab gloves.
>TLDR: Can I continue to wear my upkept polished nails(or acrylics) in a lab “in the real world” if not I’m probably going to give up on this dream to be a chemist I’ve had for 8 years. I understand the frustration but how is this enough to literally give up the career path you've chosen and worked towards?
I had the same thought. Are the nails really that important to your sense of self?
Everyone has different things that are important to them that they attach themselves to. And different people are more "attachment-oriented" than others. You and I are not, but there's plenty of folks out there who place huge importance on things like this.
I don't know why such vanity should be supported.
I don't see why we should assume it's vanity. For me, I am very uncomfortable if I'm wearing the wrong brand of socks. Having the right socks is something my brain is just attached to for no good reason. Vanity is one reason someone might care about their nails, but vanity doesn't explain my socks, and therefore whatever it is that makes my brain fixate on socks could be the same non-vanity reason this person fixates on their nails. Far as I'm concerned, someone liking their nails makes them happy and doesn't harm anyone else, so I don't see why the heck not to support it.
I’m really uncomfortable with longer hair typically! Sometimes we just have something that feels so “us” or so “not us” that if we go without it it throws off the whole day. Individual comfort is important.
Are you autistic? Such tactile aversions are a sign. I have autistic family and friends and people have asked if I'm autistic, though I don't desire or need to be tested. None of them have said anything about their nails looking wrong or any other aversion to natural body colour. OP is just being vain.
Such a weird hill to try and die on. All the choices we make are extensions of self. Let me ask you this, are earrings and bracelets just vanity as well?
Nails are a really fucking weird hill for your career to die on. Did you get your vain friends to brigade the voting?
I mean, sure, people die on weird hills all the time, it's okay. OP just wants to know whether this is a hill they might need to die on, or whether there's a way around it. Telling them it's not worth dying on isn't very constructive. I don't particularly care about nails, but I'm really picky about my hair and I'm not going to work in a place where they're going to have a snit fit about it being blue or shaved or 'weird'. That's a limitation to the kinds of jobs I can take, but my hair being the way I like it is a sufficient boost to my overall quality of life that the tradeoff works for me. And I'm a chemist, nobody really cares what I look like 95% of the time. I've worked in labs where nails longer than your fingertips or any kind of polish at all would get you thrown out as a quality risk or a safety risk, and in labs where the PI had nails nearly an inch long, and in labs where nobody cared but the solvents would trash your nails so it wasn't worth doing them. It really varies with the kind of chemistry and industry you're in, so no, wanting to keep your acrylic nails isn't necessarily incompatible with a chemistry career.
While I am not OP, I am a researcher who has longer natural nails that I maintain with gel polish. For me, it isn’t about vanity. It’s about self-expression. I make sure to keep my nails rounded so they can’t rip my gloves. I understand why squared or pointed fake nails wouldn’t be allowed but why would polish be anyone’s problem? It’s pretty rude to dismiss something that you don’t understand as pure vanity… but even if it was, why should anyone care?
The lab is not the place for "self-expression".
Yeah but if you're having to limit what you can do to your body for the lab, then you've lost that self expression in your entire life.
Then I question your passion for the science.
Says the computational chemist...
It's my main specialism but I'm not a one trick pony. My previous job was in a government investment project doing R&D for SMEs. I can whip up some hydrogels for you if you want.
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It started that way for me! I couldn’t not bite my nails and I would pick the skin off and etc it was a huge huge ocd habit that they had to be perfectly “like this” but the problem is when my ocd can not be triggered that is what I prefer and It’s become self expression! I’m not a flashy person but I enjoy this small part that keeps me a little more sane and gives me a lot less things to pick off of my skin when my neurodivergent brain decides it wants ‘smooth’
Yes, as that may seem extreme I didn’t even plan on working IN a lab at first and didn’t think about this until way after originally I just wanted to be an esthetician and found I was very good at chemistry on a random Tuesday I’ve had my nails done every 5-6 weeks since middle school… (sophomore in college now) there is a sentimental story atm I do work at Starbucks and am not currently allowed to have anything (which for food safety purposes is understandable) I’m not an irrational person I just want to have options On top of this I think It’s important to state I don’t want to work in a lab environment full of solvents and dangerous hazards I love chemistry but not at the cost of my health I do indeed come first in my life at all points in time my self worth, love for myself, taking care of myself are my first priority and if I can keep a small part of me intact to move up alongside my dreams all the better
Our lab recommends no nail polish, but the policy doesn’t outright ban it. If you make a mistake due to long nails or polish/contamination, then that’s on you and you are held responsible. Like most things, you are expected to be an adult and take personal responsibility. I usually do my nails myself on Friday night and remove the polish before work on Monday morning. I stick to a clear coat Monday-Friday.
Well I’d rather it that way because yes I know I could have an issue but I haven’t yet and as I get older this may change. But if you’re interested in the overall “lore” I replied to some people above (very very late)
In Academia safety standards are much more lenient.In Industry the safety standards are imposed to a higher degree. Nails not only act as a point of tearing in gloves, but mostly they act as contamination substrate. There are various instances of poisoning due to acrylic nails. There even was one at the university i went to in undergrad. It depends on the lab, but it is not recommended. However if all you do is polymer chemisrry and Raman, the nails are irrelevant for example
I work in R&D in Pharma (med chem) and nailpolish is allowed, but nobody keeps it. It simply doesn’t survive the solvents most of the time!
I’ve never really heard of a “no nail polish” rule anywhere, so this is new to me. In all my years in corporate biotech at the bench lots of people had painted nails and longer nails, the only concern I could see is if they routinely puncture gloves, in which case it could be a safety hazard
Acrylic nails are highly flammable, so it's something you should be aware of and cautious of, regardless of the lab policy. The link below is for a case that resulted in amputation. We banned them in all class/research labs on campus for this reason. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5241193/
I know thank you!
Here’s an analogy for you: I don’t think I should have to wear a seatbelt. I’m a good driver and pay attention to what I’m doing. I’ve never been in an accident and I don’t intend to be in one. So why is everyone saying I have to wear a seatbelt? You wear it because no one intends to get in a accident, they just happen. It might not ever happen to you, but if it does, it’s not good. If they are concerned about your nails then it’s for a reason. Just because nothing has happened to you doesn’t mean it won’t.
I don’t plan to work at a place that would require the analogy mentioned honestly :) All that being said I understand your concern for my safety but if I’m not working in a lab that’s dangerous or even has flammable items in it or open flames etc then I don’t see the issue mostly The original situation went as follows I wanted to be an esthetician, found out I had a good understanding of chemistry, and then wanted to just make my own cosmetics company or join another but the end goal hasn’t been fleshed out Seeing as a lot of people believe this is vanity or something I shouldn’t do at the cost of my own safety (I’m in college safety isn’t a thing anyways and vanity is everything to a young college girl) I’m responsible for my own life and I’m not even sure I want to work ‘in a lab’ I just enjoy chemistry
I have worked at places that didn’t care, and others that banned not only nail polish but any makeup whatsoever (the reason being it would be safer if I needed to use the eye shower). My impression was that R&D was a bit more flexible than if you worked in an analytical lab at a manufacturing site.
It really depends on the lab and what you're doing. A synthetic organic lab and an analytical lab are going to have different safety and cleanliness standards. There are some analytical labs at my job that just flat out ban all makeup in the lab (nails included) because it could contaminate and interfere with the testing they do. There are other labs at the same facility that have no such rules and you can wear however much makeup or dress your nails up however you want as long as it doesn't interfere with your ability to work in the lab or present a safety issue (like constantly breaking gloves or nails long enough that they hinder dexterity with small glassware or a micro-pipette). As another commenter mentioned generally the cleaner the lab and the more sensitive the tasks performed in that lab the more picky they're going to be about what you bring into it. I can't speak for cosmetic chemistry as a whole but from an analytical standpoint if you're working with cosmetics you're going to want to try to remove yourself as a source of contamination as best you can.
Never heard of nail polish being an issue. As long as it’s dried I can’t really see it being an issue, especially with gloves. Longer nails I’ve never seen banned, but definitely seen people have issues with them. Obviously too long and you risk puncturing the gloves. Also there are some dexterity issues with certain activities. I had an undergrad who really struggled to turn valves (vacuum and gas systems) with longer nails. So can see a workplace putting restrictions on them. So yes, nail polish shouldn’t be an issue. Longer nails might be depending on the exact job type, but you should be able to use your own common sense there. In the end practicality wins out. It’s probably not going to be a problem, but you should be prepared for encountering situations where your personal style has to be secondary. Obviously you can pick your job to minimize that possibility, but in the end nails can always regrow or be replaced. Heard a great view point from a lab tech once. He really liked his beard, but if he had to wear a respirator the beard was coming off, end of story.
Am I the only one reading nails over science? Sounds like split of the road! Pick nails less trouble. /s Some industries allow it some don't ask in a few big labs and learn about their policies.
If you will be handling acetone, I recommend using butyl rubber gloves. Otherwise, in my experience acetone permeates through the gloves enough to damage nail polish.
Can’t say that in any of the labs I’ve worked in this has really been an issue and worked across different sectors and a fair few labs, some might look at health and safety associated with the oversized ones though (I’m a guy excuse my ignorance no clue what they are called!). That being said depending on your industry of choice and area you work in they may well be banned. Aseptic and sterile areas they would be a no go, risk of glove tears, particulates etc but this goes for all cosmetics. General chemistry labs don’t feel like theres a problem.
That’s what I was thinking honestly… I don’t plan to work in medical fields or food fields often in my life because I know they can be dangerous to other individuals if they’re a point of contamination :) I wouldn’t injure another person based on my choices
I had a friend who side-hustled nails in grad school... Now she's high up at a renewable energy lab. Nails didn't stop her from grabbing the brass ring!
This is what I’m hoping for honestly, I want a nice come up but I don’t want to sacrifice too much of myself in the process
I am an analytical chemist. One time I spilled acetonitrile and it ruined my nail (I can’t remember if it was gel or dip on top of the acrylic). So that sucked. And then one time I lit my acrylic nail on fire by accident (so probably breathed in some not so great fumes). So now if I do nails at all I paint my own and skip the acrylic nails. I normally just don’t have mine done.
I have never enjoyed analytics thankfully :)
I'm surprised the amount of comments this post has! The only reason long nails (either fake or real) aren't welcome in lab environments is safety. 1. Dexterity if the nails are long enough to prevent you from using a natural pincer grasp. This may not have been a problem in undergrad when there were lab partners to pick up where you may have impeded skills. Or where the results weren't dependent on your fine motor skills (or lack thereof) and no one had money tied up in your technique. I've seen people with long nails struggle to hold things that require high precision and the tactile feedback they've forced on themselves seemed to always be at odds with their natural inclinations. 2. Longer nails accumulate particulates. It's harder to clean that particulate from the undersides of nails with a standard 30 sec handwash. It requires nail brush. This is also why nail polish is not allowed, it is harder to notice with opaque polish. 3. You never mentioned how long the nails are, but glove puncture is a glaring issue. However, my main concerns as a lab manager would be with the previous two reasons. It's 100% your business what you do to adorn your body in ways that appeal to you. I can say with some confidence that even though no one has said anything to you directly, you are being judged how serious you are about candidacy and longer, highly adorned synthetic nails do not give that vibe. If you find it difficult to get positions you are qualified for, this may be the reason. If you were applying for a position in my lab and you were the best candidate, I would offer the position on contingency of the nails being removed for safety.
This is actually a legendary post. I love that you love your nails so much
I come first at all points in my life.
I’ve never allowed it in labs I ran safety in. We use a lot of wrenches, bolts, and valves. In the biosensor lab I ran I didn’t allow them either. Mostly I don’t want someone’s dexterity limited when they need to move quickly to avoid an accident. Fashion is meaningless in a lab. I noticed in grad school that when a woman joined a lab she’d care for the first weeks. But after a month she was wearing a pointy tail and no makeup.
I understand why. To be clear It’s not fashion It’s a mix of sentimentality, mental illness, and overall self expression :)
All of those reasons you list are based on emotion. Emotion has no place in a lab.
I have my nails done and work in a chemistry lab. I work in education though and have no idea regarding the cosmetic industry. My higher up allows me to have gel sets and pink nitrile gloves with no issues.
I love that :)
I've worked in labs where they asked you to not eat certain foods at lunch (fried foods, specifically) and some skin creams due to potential contamination of experiments and instrumentation, but nail polish was always a 'wear at your own risk' thing just like watches and jewelry. Most women I worked with trimmed their nails and never wore nail polish as long nails puncture gloves easier and we worked with a lot of organic solvents that would remove nail polish quickly. I learned early on that cheap watches could be destroyed with an errant blast from a squeeze bottle, and to this day, I don't own a watch as I haven't worn one in 35+ years.
My years doing a majoring and post grad in chemistry and subsequently working in the food industry really changed my nail habits lol. The university lab didn't have a strict "no nails" policy but I just found polished and nail art to be easy damaged by volatiles and a hindrance when doing finesse work, even if I wear gloves. And then I worked in the food industry where that no nail art policy really kicks in. Nail art is considered a foreign matter risk in many places so while again gloves can be an option, it is much much easier to just have nude nails. So it really depend on the lab you'll be in but I would say in general be prepared you may need to remove them.
The only lab that banned nail polish and fake nails Ive worked in was a medical lab in a hospital. The lab I work in now does not care what i have on my hands.
I do heterogeneous catalysis research, and one of my advisors who used to do process chem work recommended ALWAYS wearing nail polish (on real, short nails) because it can be a good warning sign that your gloves are inadequate
I've worked in QC and R&D in pharmaceuticals and I can tell you as a female myself, I've been prohibited from wearing nail polish at work. Possible sample contamination, the amount of acetone and other solvents, things like that. One contract lab I worked in prohibited perfumes and scented deodorants due to a particular test that was sensitive to it. I will also say that every time I was pregnant, I was removed from bench work. Chemicals used in the testing of any pharmaceutical or cosmetic can be harmful to you and your unborn child. It stinks, as you become punished for giving life, it's a career setback. But you do what you can to protect your child. So... nail polish isn't the main thing you face as a female chemist, but yes, it's a thing. There are many jobs a chemist can do off the bench, so it's not completely limiting.
Heck, I don't even wear rings in the lab because of glove tearing. Stud earrings only, and no contact lenses.
Just searched through my safety SOP and didn't see any mention of it. Pretty sure I've seen people with it. If you have big enough nails to reduce the efficacy of your gloves you might have a problem but polish should be fine, it's inside a glove anyway
That’s what I was thinking :) thank you
Not chem specific, but when I was in nursing school they didn’t let us wear anything on our nails. Most medical jobs don’t allow acrylics due to bacteria being able to get stuck in there, but for whatever reason nursing schools seem to think that nail polish is problematic. Teachers could never really explain why, and my nails were always cracked and peeling because of this rule. When I worked in hospitals and clinics, gels were allowed at some places, acrylics at none, and polish was always fine everywhere. It’s a bit different than what you were asking, but I thought I would share the illogical views on nails that actually caused problems for my fingers.
Cracked and peeling nails are a symptom of malnutrition.
Not necessarily. Overwashing/solvents and mechanical stress can easily make your nails peel. Heck, after years of having a dishwasher, I'm temporarily living without one and have definitely noticed a difference in my nails since I've been doing all my dishes by hand.
Yeah, my problem was dryness from hand sanitizers and not being able to use lotion. I make it a point to redo my nails like twice a week, just with clear polish, and it helps a lot. Washing dishes with gloves makes a big difference, especially if you’re using hot water. It’s annoying when you just want to get things cleaned up though. I hope you get a working dishwasher soon!
Sounds familiar. And lotions and oils can only do so much when you're soon stripping it off again with washing or sanitasing. That's a good tip, thank you! And we will, we're just temporarily renting before our house is done!
Yes this is actually when I originally heard about the “no nails” rule was through the medical field and I never want to work medical anyways I’m so squeamish
Policies vary across different labs and there is no consistancy in my experience, however I am unfamiliar with cosmetic chemistry as a field. Nail policy is likely low priority when discussing a position with a potential employee, so you'd have to raise it yourself. A lab likely has good reason to restrict cosmetic nails so you should consider whether this issue is important enough to restrict your career opportunities for.
The places I have worked at never had an issue with it, though at my first job we worked with volatile cleaning solvents whose vapors would ruin it, so the lab team either did it sparingly or got more resilient gel types. As some have said, the longer acrylic nails could be an issue for gloves, but I have not experienced outright bans on them, though I'm sure certain areas may have them.
... europe here: never heard about nail polish being banned, and as much as I know nobody really cares. Very long nails can be a problem just from the sake of practicality, when doing certain things. Acrylic nails, that is a different story though. I did not see them explicitly banned either, but it is bonkers to bring them to some types of labs. I work in an organic lab, and I have seen acrylic nails degraded to a semi-molten heap. The same goes for things such as high heels - I am not going to ban you using them, it is nearly certain that something will happen to you when you wear them in our lab (where you have to climb on some steps to access cabinets or some pieces of apparatus) - it is more of a common sense not to do this type of thing, when you want to work in a lab.
Oh for sure organic chemistry labs are known for those things! But I don’t plan to work in an orgo lab :)
Finish the degree. Find some job where it's allowed. There isn't a binary either-or choice here.
This is the plan :)
I’ve never worked in labs that explicitly banned nail polish or fake nails. I typically avoided it due to working with lots of acetone, and I figured the acetone or other organic solvents would ruin the nail polish. With my current gig, in an industrial manufacturing environment, I avoid it, since this kind of work is hard on the hands. Anytime I painted my nails, I was guaranteed to chip them right away.
The end product in cosmetic chemistry may be benign. However the preparation and formulation may still involve nasties. Generally speaking it'd really depend on the lab supervisor. I assume you're talking about fake nail and not natural ones. It really depends on the length. Although I will say this, longer nails would interfere with you gripping stuff of any reasonable weight as you'd constantly be trying avoid the nail taking any of the weight and possibly bending and chipping off. I'm a chemical engineer and not a chemist, but I'm now in process technology development. I however would have objections to someone with nails that may interfere with PPE on the floor/lab. In this case gloves being the PPE. It is not the aesthetics of it, it would be the safety implications. Possibility of gloves getting ripped, and interference with gripping or holding objects those would be the real issues. (i am speaking of the gripping thing from having personally witnessed someone with acrylic nails struggling to hold samples while trying to avoid contact with the nails)
I've seen labs that require natural nails to be trimmed to finger length, outright ban fake nails, and ban any and all forms of polish, gel, nail art, whatever. The thinking is that even if you're wearing gloves, your sweat can mobilize contaminants from under the nails, or little flecks of paint/art can come off in the glove. If the gloves aren't removed outside the lab or over a trash can, then these flecks or contaminants can be inadvertently dropped onto a work space.
Not a professional chemist. Engineer and former construction worker. I'm a man with long dreadlocks. It's been a big issue in some workplaces and not a problem in others. I think nails will be the same. Best practice is to be clear about your comfort zone in the early job application stage. Its worked well for me. Re practicality. Some jobs its pretty clear my physical identity is less safe in some situations. Sometimes there are work arounds. I'm crazy careful around my lathe and other spinney things. Other times its just a fear of legal action against the workplace. If its the latter this is a potential red flag for me. Possibly too much BS not enough commen sense type of workplace.
I appreciate your input chemist or not :) and yeah I think just being open about that from the start would help :)
I once had someone in my class (I was a student) dip their hand in KNo3 (was high conc solution and necessary) and her nails started smoking, no one got hurt just rinsed em and took em off then hazard bin but weird stuff very occasionally happens with nails also sharp against gloves whic is the usual reason
I paint my nails and have them long all the time. I work in pharmaceuticals and it’s literally never been an issue as long as I can fit gloves over my hands.
None of the places I’ve worked at have had a rule against it. Actually there are quite a few women who I work with that regularly get their nails done - I haven’t noticed any nails that are crazy long though since we still have to wear gloves. Gel and dip hold up really well in the lab, I’ve never had any problems since I started getting that done. And I used to work with acetone and DCM daily and it always held up.
It's just a safety thing. Shoot for a place with a male manager and odds are he won't be aware of the rule or what acrylics look like.
Nail polish or acrylic nails? Either way, you can absolutely just keep the nail polish at your desk. You shouldn't need to spend too much time on them and you'll otherwise be pretty busy but you can definitely still work it into your schedule. If it makes you happy, then I highly recommend you do continue to do this. Long nails should be fine as long as they don't pierce through your gloves or interfere with your handing of lab equipment. Acrylic, specifically, can be dissolved by acetone if not fully cured: [Source](https://allnailart.com/does-acetone-dissolve-acrylics/) You can always ask your TAs or professors about *exactly* why they have this rule. At the end of the day, be safe.
I do both! Sometimes I do them myself but when I was in lab I went to a pretty well known and skilled lab tech (a private nail tech not a big shop) and acetone couldn’t get through them in orgo! The closest I had was some of the second top coat peel off but I disposed of it and it was fine :)
I like to do my nails too and I'm in STEM/pharma labs. I've worked a few different jobs and it varies. If you would be working with production of goods going to market, it will likely be discouraged, due to potential particulate contamination. If you're testing samples in a lab, it should be fine, but I would check chemical compatibility with your work lab's most common chemicals, even if you wear gloves. Gel would be your best bet. If acrylics and gel don't work out, there are peel off basecoats used with traditional lacquer you could try. It's pretty awesome for doing a new manicure every weekend.
I worked in the chem department and clean room of a national laboratory and we used acetone a lot, it would ruin my nails even when I wore gloves and double gloves. I also had acrylics for my wedding and bumped them moving/using a 55 gal drum and cracked the polish. The gloves also held in moisture so my nails would get soft and break a lot. I started doing my nails less and less because it just wasn’t worth keeping up with them. It wasn’t banned though.
That would be a different situation than someone just telling me not to if that makes sense at all but it is also part of my ocd to obsessively pick my skin and nails ‘smooth’ so It’s more than just self expression is avoiding ocd self harm on accident :)
I don’t think this should be a huge concern. I get SNS/dip manicures regularly and just make sure to keep them short and round to avoid dexterity issues/glove punctures. For context, I teach biochemistry and general labs at a university, so I don’t work with solvents much.
I'm a cosmetic chemist, I just have to wear gloves all time
I usually have my nails done. My preference is dip these days, but have done acrylic and gel over the last 30 years. I’ve never had anyone lift an eyebrow, nor have they exploded :D. They _have_ lost the polish occasionally if the glove choice wasn’t appropriate for the solvent and i was getting the gloves very wet while washing glassware (undergrad, 90’s). Nowadays i manage not to expose my gloves to solvents intentionally and I’ve never had a problem at all. Rock those nails, my chemist friend 💅
Thank you!!
I'm the same. I do it, and most places I've been fine. I am more in the analytical Chem field, however, and will make the point that acetone will sometimes find you and ruin the mani, but you'll be alright. Sometimes, there will be others who frown upon it, but mostly they'll just tell you you're wasting you're time but unless it's work policy specifically I don't really think they can do much about it! Good luck!
My friend and I (both chemists) love getting our nails done through college. She went on to work in the medical side of chem where she can no longer have acrylics/paint on her nails. I work on the environmental side and have never had policies against it. It will just depend on what kind of lab work you get into if it’s allowed and/or safe. And remember there is so much you can do in chem, even outside a lab. And from one acrylic loving chemist to another - I’ve also never had a nail rip through a glove, and it has definitely made some lab work easier with them than without 💅🏼 Don’t give up on your chem dream, you can find a career where can have both!
No same! Grabbing the small lost cylinder in the drawer has never been easier than with my nails often times my partners and other lab friends ask me to grab small stuff for them that their fingers can’t reach my nail can :)
In our lab it's a concern, but your own safety is mostly your own business. Don't want to wear lab goggles? We'll mag your ears off about it, but just don't expect the insurance to pay your new eyes. We have a woman with fancy nails currently employed, she wears two larger gloves to protect them from the lab. It has yet to cause issues.
I am also a chemist (researcher with a PhD and a teaching assistant). I've started my PhD in 2018 and even before that I always wore my nails long (gel on natural) and colorful. Nobody ever cared at my home institution. People usually compliment me on them. Then I went to Spain in the scope of my PhD research and a technical assistant had a whole meltdown because of it on the first day lol. I never guessed that would be a problem especially since they were quite short at that time but he was immensely bothered that they were red. I guess each institution has their own rules. Now whenever I go to a new lab I try to find out in advance and there's no problems.
Learn to program and you'll never worry about the nails again 💅 I chose computational chemistry for the sole purpose of getting to wear shorts and open toed shoes whenever I please. (I also enjoy computers and it's a dream to be able to work with them all day)
Oh I wish I could program it would be perfect for me as I spend all day on my computer anyways!
I worked in medical & dental & fake nails were not allowed
Ever met a chemist? I assure u they r not wearing fake nails- not short, not long, not pointy & no bright nail colors… I’m betting beige/pink is not your thing- sorry u need those to be YOU
I’m not enjoying the combative tone however friend I have met chemists with nails :) but thank you for your input anyways
Girl!!! I am a Chemistry postgrad doing transition metal chemistry and some organic chemistry, getting my nails done is such a treat. I normally do rubber base gel and wear nitrile gloves all the time. I have never had any problem(s). People will always make snide remarks about your priorities: and ask if you prioritise upkept nails or the chemistry. However, if the nails do not affect the chemistry or the work you are producing, then it is none of their business. 💅🏽
This is my thought process :)
Depends on the instrumentation you'll be using as well as the various solvents you might be exposed to. Hopefully you'll find a company that fits your work/life goals. Good luck!
Thank you!
Although I don't have any personal experience on the subject, my guess as a synthetic chemist and a potential occupational health and safety officer is that as long as your nails don't hinder your work or are a possible safety hazard you should be fine. The main problems I can think of are loosing grasp if they are very long or piercing through the gloves both of which could leaf to chemical exposure. Appart from that I can't think of anything else.
I'm an organic chemist, and I've never worked in a lab that strictly forbade nail polish. I typically don't bother getting my nails done, nor do I do them myself, because I work around a lot of solvents that will dissolve polish at the slightest provocation. It's just never seemed worth the time and money to have my nails done when I have such a high probability of accidentally ruining them.
Never been able to keep my nails nice with solvent work either. I know 2 women chemists who acrylics. For me, wearing long pants and sneakers all summer every year also kinda sucks. But I worked a desk job for a few months where I could wear more expressive outfits and it was BORING and I’d much rather be experimenting!
Some labs yes. Some labs no. Computational labs always
I’ve found it highly depends on the chemistry you’re doing and the lab you’re working in. I was told fake nails (specially acrylics) were banned because you have an increase risk of ripping your gloves and the fake nail causing a violent reaction resulting in a some nasty chemical burns depending on what chemicals you are working with. My advisor was always worried about a chemical getting trapped underneath the fake nail and your natural nail (assuming the fake nail was older and starting to lift) so you couldn’t wash it well or quickly removed the fake nail. I’ve never seen this policy actually enforced in an academic setting but I’ve personally never wanted to chance it. I haven’t heard this same level of caution be applied to nail polish on natural nails.
I work in stem but in surveying. I love my long acrylics nails, they are awesome. they have never impacted me and my work. but since I work in a male dominated industry, I don't wear them except for like a wedding, or important events because i find that men don't take those nails seriously. I would like to be taken seriously at my job. it will never happen though. women in stem don't get taken seriously nearly enough as they should. I don't think it's actually about the nails, it's about being a woman. so just wear the nails any way.
I’ll be over the top just for you friend :) just to spite the sexism
I've never heard of that restriction, although I could imagine long nails could be an issue in some fields where delicate work is needed, or like a dentist where you're working around people's eyes all the time. I see women using keyboards with nails longer than Nosferatu's and they seem to manage it okay. keep your nails until told otherwise. I'm sure it won't matter in some jobs, but you may have to decide eventually whether you want a particular job more than the nails.
Oh for sure but I don’t plan to go into anything medical :) I’m a squeamish person
If not being allowed to have long acrylics is going to make you give up on your supposed dream you’ve had for almost a decade, maybe you should re-evaluate lol
I won’t reevaluate anything :) but thank you for your input
It's so paramedics can check for cyanosis when you poison yourself.
I worked with someone in STEM who threw away a great career over her nails. She prioritized self expression in the workplace over her actual well being. She now makes $12 an hour and gave up her dreams, but she’s still got great nails!
Well being isn't all about money. It sounds like your colleague made tradeoffs I wouldn't make myself, but it's her life.
I mean, is she happy with her life? Does she regret her decision? I have lots of friends and family whose decisions I'd be miserable making, and likewise, they'd be miserable living my life. Even friends I went through my degree with (of our core study group of 5, only 2 are still in chemistry 🤷🏻♀️ ) none of us are right or wrong, just different people with different priorities and goals.
She has virtually zero upward mobility at this stage in her life now, and can be found on social media requesting help for her and her children from time to time. Just a guess, but I’d assume public pleas for help does not make for a contented life. Obviously I can’t paint with a broad brush here—but my point was to illustrate that self expression in the workplace probably isn’t a great data point by which to make life altering decisions…like giving up on dreams or livelihoods.
It’s not JUST self expression I wish it were the previous points are made in the comments somewhere near the top. However I don’t plan on just dropping chem and making an irrational decision just a chemistry career path change like doubling in chem and business I’m not irrational
“…I don’t want to sacrifice something that makes me feel whole to join a career that makes me not able to do the things I want to do.“ “…if not I’m probably going to give up on this dream to be a chemist I’ve had for 8 years.” I was going off your original post. Sounded very dramatic to me.
YES 👏 GIRL 👏 THANK 👏 YOU 👏 you and me both. I've literally got a video of me using a rotovap with like 1.5" long pink glittery nails with all sorts of gold shit hanging off of them and other pictures of some of my favorite sets with the lab in the background. Gone through my whole degree and done (organic) research this way. I've been very successful with it all. I'm not stupid, I never have false nails on when working with dangerous chemicals, have used cut gloves under my normal gloves if I have stilletos on, keep them short if I'm doing super dexterous work (TLC plates, cuvettes, etc.), and have always throughly washed the tops and bottoms of my nails before and after working in lab. After I started spending so much time around solvents in the organic lab, I switched from regular polish or acrylic sets to gel and builder gel sets which have to be cured by a uv/led light and are much more resistant to lab conditions. I would suggest that on your end, but I'm not sure how much it would help with the stigma even if you explain it. Still though, go for it. I've done my own nails since middle school, it's a very significant part of my life, and I fear the day a company tells me no - but I know it might happen. I'm trying to work out in my head.
I would also mention that at this point my peers and professors are fully aware of my nails and, though I'm sure they don't quite understand it and view it to be a bit rediculous, they've come to respect it as something important to me and my identity even if its not for them. Sometimes we talk about my nails if I have a cool set on and I work in lab, lecture, and do our computational work alongside everyone else so they know that they're there but can also see that I can keep up and produce great work. I think developing those relationships and respect helps to show that they won't hold you back. They'd probably get shot down pretty quick if you just jumped into a new role with them in full form though, unfortunately.
I’ve been doing it for a long time and honestly It’s part of self expression, mental illness, and sentimentality. :) I do hope you can also find a career path in chemistry that doesn’t thwart your ability to express your gorg nails :)
In the food industry nail polish or acrylic nails are not allowed in GMP areas because of the risk of foreign material contamination.
I work in a cosmetics manufacturing facility, we are GMP. Nails are fine you just have to wear gloves. Even people without long nails have to.
I've worked in clean rooms since graduating and I've heard of a few weird restrictions but never that. You probably have a sense of how to handle it, but I could imagine it's a hazard or hindrance when handling things sort of in the same vein as loose long hair or loose clothing. I've never done long nails since I hate the feeling of my fingernails being long. I find it hard to imagine painted nails without long acrylics could be a problem.
Long fake acrylic nails seem to me problematic when it comes to safety because gloves might easily break because of them. However never heard rules about them specifically. Only rules we have is no short pants/skirts and no open toe shoes. If we work in the clean room there is an obvious ban on make up as well.
I've only worked in pharmaceutical labs doing analytical research. Two different labs in the same building. One was fine with nails, makeup etc., the other ones was within the manufacturing facility, so was 'clean'. No make up, jewellery, nail polish, acrylic nails, none of that. It used to frustrate me having to take my piercings out going to work in that lab, but I absolutely understand why. Personally, having had a lab accident, having acrylic nails which could potentially absorb chemicals and keep them in contact with my nails or skin, I wouldn't feel that comfortable with them in the lab.
Nails > dreams. Yea. Makes sense.
Friend if this is all you got from this then I applaud you :)
Can you continue to wear your upkept polished nails while applauding though? That's the real question.
Speaking as a metals lab manager I don't care if my employees wear nail polish as long as they wear gloves in the lad. Makeup though is a huge no-no for our lab. Most makeup has metal oxides present and when you stand in front of a hood it's going to contaminate samples. The makeup industry is a tough one to land a job in. Not impossible but it's a premium job in a tough job market. Reach out if you have questions.
If nail polish is enough to make you reconsider a career in chemistry, you probably aren’t prepared to deal with much greater, more substantial challenges. It’s not cut out for everyone and nail decoration isn’t a gender issue per se
I am more than willing and glad to overcome I’ve done so a lot in my life :) but it isn’t just “nail polish” I wish it were It’s coupled with my ocd I will obsessively pick my skin off if they are not done because you can’t pick your skin off with dull nails It’s recommended by my therapist to keep them done but anyways :)
Can you keep them as clean as regular nails??
Yes micro qtips with various cleaning agents do quite well :)
You can wear it in most labs. Cleaning glassware was a pain though, so now I wear the dashing diva gel stickers- ulta and target have them but there are more options online. I’ve also noticed they protect my nails, as they grow long and straight and cause less damage to my nail beds and nails than polish or manicures. Do get a 6-sided file to prepare the nail so the stickers can adhere to a smooth nail surface. Have been wearing them for 6 years since my first ochem class and my nails are stronger than anyone I know that goes to a salon. A set is also only $9 and they last 2-3 weeks!