Background: Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) techniques have been used in various fields of medical research, including different pathologies of the nails; however, no studies have focused on obtaining high-resolution microscopic images and elemental analysis of disorders caused by synthetic nails and acrylic adhesives.
Methods: Damaged/injured fingernails caused by the use of acrylate glue and synthetic nails were investigated using SEM and EDX methods.
Results: SEM and EDX proved that synthetic nails, acrylic glue, and nails damaged by contact with acrylate glue have a different morphology and different composition compared to healthy human nails.
Conclusions: SEM and EDX analysis can give useful information about the aspects of topography (surface sample), morphology (shape and size), hardness or reflectivity, and the elemental composition of nails.
Keywords: Acrylate glue; Onycholysis; Scanning electron microscopy; Synthetic nails.