Safety

Nail polish formulations may include ingredients that cause cancer in humans, or are toxic to the central nervous system, including phthalates, toluene, and formaldehyde. Manufacturers have been pressured by consumer groups to reduce or to eliminate potentially toxic ingredients, and in September 2006, several companies agreed to phase out dibutyl phthalate, which had been linked to problems in the endocrine system and increased risk of diabetes in women. There are no universal consumer safety standards for nail polish, however, and while formaldehyde has been eliminated from some nail polish brands, others still use it.