What Happens If You Eat Nail Polish Remover
Most acetone-based nail polish removers are only mildly toxic in small amounts. The most common symptoms are an upset stomach or vomiting. While unpleasant, these effects are typically not dangerous if the exposure is minimal.
However, not all removers are created equal. Some non-acetone removers contain methyl acetate, which can be more toxic and require closer monitoring.
If you or your child ingests nail polish remover:
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Do not induce vomiting.
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Offer a small amount of water to help dilute the substance.
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Watch for any symptoms such as nausea or vomiting.
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Call the Missouri Poison Center immediately at 1-800-222-1222 for guidance. Our trained experts are available 24/7 to help.
Transcript with visual descriptions
Visual: A pink background with a bottle of nail polish remover and a person’s hands holding a cotton pad. A text box says “What happens if you ingest nail polish remover?”. The Missouri Poison Center logo is visible.
Visual: Person 1, a man in a blue t-shirt with “#Poison. Prevention.” printed on it, is holding a bottle of nail polish remover in a studio-like setting.
Person 1: Hey, what happens if I eat nail polish remover? Well, the good news is, acetone nail polish removers are minimally toxic when ingested in small amounts.
Visual: Person 1 smells the bottle.
Sound: Person 1 makes a gagging sound.
Person 1: And the most common symptoms are upset stomach and vomiting. I know they say don’t put this in other containers like a cup or whatever because it could be mistaken for a drink, but I live in a house with four women, okay? I don’t care if it says it’s apple scented. I’m fairly certain it doesn’t taste anything like an apple-tini.
Visual: Person 2, a man in a blue button-up shirt and a grey vest, is in a kitchen.
Person 2: Yes, I’d like my acetone-tini, shaken, not stirred.
Visual: Person 2 is handed a small glass with a green liquid. He sips it, then gags and coughs.
Sound: Gagging and coughing sounds.
Person 2: Perfect.
Visual: Back with Person 1 in his studio room.
Person 1: Now, there are non-acetone nail polish removers, and those containing methyl acetate could be more toxic. If you or a child do accidentally ingest nail polish remover, give them a cup of water and watch them for signs of nausea or vomiting.
Visual: A white screen with a red outline of the state of Missouri and the “Missouri Poison Center” logo. The phone number 1-800-222-1222 is below it. Text “Open 24/7!” appears angled at the top.
Person 1: Then call the Missouri Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222.
Visual: The screen changes to show blue text: “There’s always an expert standing by that’s ready to consult on evaluation and management.”
Person 1: We’re open 24/7, 365 to answer your questions.
