A Chinese woman who suffered a heart attack almost missed out on life-saving treatment because of her gel nails.
The case has shocked mainland social media and become a wake-up call about the risk of manicures.
The 28-year-old woman in central China’s Hunan province, who uses the pseudonym Lili, had a sudden heart attack on February 5.
Emergency medical staff at the People’s Hospital of Hunan Province immediately came to her rescue.
However, when they tried to fit a fingertip pulse oximeter, a device used to monitor oxygen saturation, they found that the device could not detect the correct data due to her thick and long press-on nails.
The gel nails blocked the infrared light rays the device transmitted, which were supposed to measure haemoglobin’s light absorption through the finger.
The medical team first attempted to remove the nails themselves but failed as they were attached so tightly.
They immediately summoned a manicurist who used professional tools in a race against time to remove the nails.
Medical staff were then able to continue, and they saved Lili’s life in time.
A doctor at the hospital told the Sanxiang Metropolis Daily that they were used to seeing manicures hinder medical treatment.
The doctor warned that, besides situations like Lili’s, some manicure products and extreme polishing of the nails can also bring health risks.
Emergency doctor Liu Xiao, at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, also said in a video that manicure lovers should spare one finger as their “life-saving opportunity”.
Liu said he also once treated a woman in her 20s who was sent to the accident and emergency in a coma but could not have her blood oxygen level detected due to her gel nails.
Their solution was to use an ear pulse oximeter instead.
A staff member at a fingertip pulse maker told the Nanfang Daily that other than thick gel nails, dark coloured nail polish can also strongly absorb or reflect light, affecting the accuracy of a reading.
“I will remember to spare two fingers when I do manicures in future,” said one online observer.
“I did not do manicures because I found them unhygienic and unhealthy. Now there is one more reason not to do it,” said another.
A third disagreed: “Since the blood oxygen levels can be detected from ears and toes, people should have the right to do manicures when they want.” -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
