What to know about TPO, the gel manicure ingredient that’s banned in Europe

A chemical used in gel nail polish that is now banned in Europe is raising questions about a possible health risk in the United States.

Dr. Oma Agbai, a dermatologist and UC Davis associate professor, joined KRCA 3 to talk about what’s behind the concerns.

She said the ingredient, trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide, or TPO, hardens when it is exposed to ultraviolet light or LED light.

“That’s how the gel nail polish becomes hardened at the nail salon,” she said.

Agbai said the ingredient was banned in the European Union out of an abundance of caution because tests with animals found it was a carcinogen at high ingested doses. It was also found to be toxic for reproduction when ingested, she said.

“It’s critical to understand that this was in animals and the animals ingested high