Some Gel Nail Polishes Banned in Europe. Is It Still Safe to Use?

As Europe’s ban on a common chemical in gel nail polish goes into effect, should you start skipping the salon?

In May, the European Union instituted a ban on trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide (TPO) starting Sept. 1, 2025 — meaning that gel nail polishes with TPO can no longer be sold or used by nail technicians in Europe. Salons will even have to dispose of existing polishes containing TPO, cosmetic chemist and nail industry expert Doug Schoon said in a statement shared with TODAY.com.

But gel nail polishes containing TPO are still available in the U.S., and it’s unlikely that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will ban them at the federal level, cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos tells TODAY.com via email. That’s because the European Union takes a different approach from the U.S. when it comes to regulation.

Still, many manicure fans may be left wondering: Is gel nail polish with TPO safe to use? What are the possible health effects that led Europe to ban these gel nail polishes?

Here’s what to know.

What Is Trimethylbenzoyl Diphenylphosphine Oxide (TPO)?

TPO is an ingredient called a photoinitiator and plays an important role in gel manicures, which need ultraviolet light to harden.

“(A photoinitiator) absorbs energy from the UV or LED lamps used in gel manicures, which sets off a chain reaction that links small molecules called monomers together to form long polymer chains, forming a solid film,” Dobos explains.

She adds that she believes gel nail polish is the only type of cosmetic product that uses TPO, “but it is used in other industries to cure inks and coatings.”

Why Are Gel Nail Polishes With TPO Banned in Europe?

The EU takes more of a hazard-based approach to regulation than the U.S., Dobos says. Essentially, that means it tends to regulate chemicals based on their “inherent properties” as opposed to risks based on how the chemical is used in the real world.

For example, TPO was banned because animal studies, mostly in rats, have found a risk of negative reproductive outcomes for males — but in these studies, animals were repeatedly fed TPO at high doses, which is a different exposure scenario from a much smaller amount of TPO placed on a human nail.

“The exposure conditions in these animal studies bear no resemblance to realistic exposure scenarios in cosmetic use,” Schoon said. “No human studies have been conducted on (the) reproductive toxicity of TPO.”

The U.S., on the other hand, follows more of a risk-based regulatory approach, which “considers both the hazard and the likelihood of exposure,” Dobos says. “It evaluates whether the chemical poses a significant risk under specific conditions of use, allowing for more nuanced decisions that balance safety with functionality.”

In a worst-case scenario, “only 1% of the TPO may be left over after curing,” estimates cosmetic chemist Michelle Wong, Ph.D., who runs the beauty science site Lab Muffin.

“So really, the only opportunity the TPO has to get inside the body and cause harm, is with the very small amount that may accidentally end up on the skin around the nails, for the minute or two before curing, versus the high daily exposure for weeks in the animal studies,” she tells TODAY.com via email.

Will the U.S. Ban Gel Polish With TPO?

Dobos says she believes it’s unlikely that the FDA will ban gel nail polish with TPO at the federal level, but it’s possible that certain states may fall in line with Europe.

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

Is Gel Nail Polish With TPO Safe?

Based on current research, according to Dobos, Schoon and Wong, there is little to no reason to believe there are risks to fertility or overall health from gel nail polish with TPO.

“In the gel nail system, TPO is applied to the nail, which is made of densely packed keratin, and cured into a solid matrix, significantly limiting systemic exposure,” Dobos explains.

Adds Wong: “I think it’s extremely safe and doesn’t need to be avoided.”

Are There TPO-Free Gel Polishes?

Yes, there are TPO-free gel polishes available, Dobos and Wong say. And they believe the selection will only get bigger in light of the European ban.

In a statement to TODAY, the Nail Manufacturer Council on Safety said, “Safe and effective alternatives to TPO are already on the market.”

If you’re looking for a TPO-free nail polish, Wong advises that it can be hard to figure out which ones fit the bill because many don’t have detailed ingredients lists and just say “photoinitiator.”

“But there are lots of alternative photoinitiators used in products, such as Ethyl Trimethylbenzoyl Phenylphosphinate and Hydroxycyclohexyl Phenyl Ketone,” she adds.

“I would guess a lot of products will market themselves as TPO-free soon, and (optimistically) gel companies might be pressured to be more transparent about their ingredients.”

Should You Stop Getting Gel Manicures?

Despite the recent EU ban on TPO in cosmetics, Dobos says that “TPO is pretty safe as currently used in nail gels.” Wong and Schoon agree.

However, if you’re concerned, there are TPO-free gels, and Dobos reminds that regular nail polish doesn’t contain TPO.

Other possible health risks of gel manicures have also been reported, mainly from the UV exposure. To cure the polish, gel manicures use UVA rays, which penetrate more deeply into the skin than UVB rays and are more likely to cause DNA mutations, possibly increasing cancer risk.

To protect yourself when getting a gel manicure, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends applying broad-spectrum sunscreen to the hands before using the UV device and considering opting for regular nail polish over gel.