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A schoolgirl who was left with horrific burns after applying a set of false nails purchased online may never regain full feeling in her hands.
Chloe Norris, a 12-year-old girl from Kent, received the nail set as a Christmas gift from her parents in 2023, who had bought it from Chinese online outlet Temu.
When it arrived, Chloe’s mother Stacey Norris saw nothing abnormal about the nail set and glue and assumed the product had been tested and regulated.
However, when Chloe was applying the manicure set she accidentally knocked the bottle over, causing glue to spill onto the outside of her hands, immediately putting Chloe in excruciating pain.
The young girl said she had “never felt pain like that before” and that it was “very sharp and stinging”.
Her mother rushed Chloe to the bathroom to wash the glue off with water, applied antiseptic cream and assumed it would heal.
Although she had a few small blisters Chloe went to school as normal, but just hours later the skin on Chloe’s hands had badly blistered and she needed emergency treatment.
After seeking medical attention, it transpired that the nail glue had burnt through to the nerve endings and Chloe was sent to a specialist burns unit for treatment.
Doctors used skin from her thigh to replace the burnt skin on her hands.
The case recently featured in the BBC TV series Rip Off Britain and explained that although her surgery was a success, Chloe will always have scars and might never regain full feeling in her hands.
Chloe’s parents contacted Temu to warn them of the products it sold her, but the online marketplace said it no longer sold the glue. The company also told them to keep the nail glue away from children.
A Temu spokesperson said: "We take product safety seriously and require all sellers on our platform to comply with relevant regulations. We continually monitor listings and remove those that don't meet our standards.”
Following the ordeal a stark warning has been issued by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) to the public about extremely potent and dangerous nail glues which could leave users with skin irritation, redness, blistering or even burns to the skin.
Although nail glue is commonly used to apply artificial nails or nail art it can come with health and safety risks, especially if they are not used properly.
The products often contain ethyl cyanoacrylate or other acrylates, which CTSI said “can cause skin irritation, redness or even blistering if someone is sensitive to these substances.”
“There is complete logic in opting for stick-on nails that are easily applied and temporary, but what parents are not aware of is that not all products sold online are safe,” Kerry Nicol, External Affairs Manager at CTSI, said.
“In Chloe’s case that decision had devastating consequences resulting in any parents’ worst nightmare,” she added.
Richard Knight, CTSI Lead Officer for Cosmetics and Beauty, warned that even safe products contain strong chemicals and the safest option is going to a professional nail technician who should use only safe adhesives.
“The risk to the health of consumers becomes intolerable if the disreputable manufacturer has not safety assessed the formulation and has not listed ingredients or provided clear warnings and instructions for the home user,” Mr Knight added.
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