A key component in gel nail polish has been banned in Europe over fears it may cause cancer or infertility—but it remains in use across the U.S. this week.
Why It Matters
European officials designated trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide (TPO) as a product believed to be “carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic for reproduction” (CMR)—and the use of CMR substances is prohibited by cosmetics legislation.
Europe’s decision to ban the chemical for cosmetic use means that nail salon clients living within the bloc will no longer have their fingernails coated in potentially toxic TPO products. However, their American counterparts may be unaware of the potential dangers and will still be offered unregulated TPO-containing gel polish in salons across the country.
Some 100 million women used nail polish or nail care products in the U.S., according to 2020 figures published by Statista.
What To Know
From Monday, the sale and the use of cosmetic products containing TPO is prohibited by the European Union (EU).
The ban applies to cosmetic products that were purchased before this date, meaning that professional manicurists are not allowed to use up their old stock, sell it, or give it away within the EU. They have been instructed to buy compliant products instead.
It’s unclear whether experts have similar concerns about the chemical components of gel nail varnish in the U.S. Newsweek reached out by email, outside of regular working hours, to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for comment.
Gel polish, which often contains TPO, is usually set under a UV light and dries harder than traditional paint-on varnish, forming a thicker shell that is more durable and can remain for weeks on nails without chipping.
There have been fears about the dangers of the hands’ exposure to UV rays as a result of the skin cancer risks associated with sun damage or sunbed use.
There has also been growing unease about the chemicals in the polish itself.
Concerns were increasingly raised in Europe after studies suggested that TPO may be toxic, with the EU warning that it is thought to be “carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction.”
What People Are Saying
Dr. Hannah Kopelman, a dermatologist at DermOnDemand, told the Wellness Pulse website: “The European Union is banning it out of caution, since even though we don’t yet have large-scale human studies proving harm, the potential risks were enough to warrant stricter regulation.”
Last month, the European Union publicized details of the ban which came into effect on September 1, and laid out how the new rules would affect business owners, such as beauty parlors.
In a question-and-answer style format designed to answer the “significant number of queries from EU countries, industry associations, and individual companies” about the ban, officials explained the new rules.
“From 1 September 2025, both placing and making available on the market of cosmetic products containing TPO are prohibited,” the document states, adding that new products cannot be placed on the market.
“Products already placed on the market before that date cannot continue to be supplied, transferred, or otherwise made available to another person in the course of commercial activity. In other words, professionals in the cosmetic businesses may not sell these products in the EU, nor may they give these products away.”
Businesses, such as nail salons, were advised to “discontinue sale, supply, and professional use of TPO-containing products by September 1, 2025, withdraw remaining stock from professional premises [and] seek compliant alternatives from suppliers.”
What Happens Next
The cosmetic TPO ban is now in force across Europe. It remains to be seen whether officials in the U.S. will follow suit.
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