Nail bars are booming nationwide as more and more of us become addicted to extensions.

According to the hair and beauty industry there are now around 3,000 nail bars and 14,000 nail technicians working in the UK. But there is little regulation and it is claimed some nail bars are risking the health of their customers by using a range of potentially harmful chemicals.

Labour MP Phyllis Starkey introduced a bill earlier this year highlighting how important it is that nail bars are licensed and certain products banned.

"The expansion has led to a rise in unqualified technicians using a dangerous chemical called methyl methacrylate, MMA, banned in the United States, Australia and New Zealand," she said.

Health experts, other MPs and nail industry campaigners are backing her concerns. Rachel Myatt, of the Association of Nail Technicians, is relieved that MPs are finally taking this seriously. MMA is a form of super glue which was originally developed for combat dressing stations in the Vietnam war. The product is now used to apply some fake nails.

"Nail extensions made with MMA are hard, so they rarely lift or break. The client thinks they look good, but they don't realise the damage caused to the natural nail, This can be anything from minor reactions to severe blisters, itchy skin, loss of sensation, complete or partial loss of the nail plate, infection and permanent damage. The strong odour can also lead to respiratory problems and even asthma attacks," says Rachel.

Vanessa Buckley, one of Calderdale's leading nail technicians would like to see new regulations for nail bars and MMA banned. The mum-of-two who has been in the business for almost 20 years, runs her own salon from her Greetland home and three years ago set up her own training school for would-be nail technicians.

"There have been a great many advances in nail technology in the past 10 years yet some less reputable suppliers still use chemicals like MMA that are harmful. They use the product because it is cheap and lasts so well but a lot of clients have no idea of the dangers."

As well as the damage mentioned above, Vanessa says MMA nails are almost impossible to get off, even after soaking, and often manicurists have to grind them off.

"And because they are so hard if they get caught in a car door for instance, rather than break they tend to rip the entire nail from the nail plate."

She spends hours educating her students on harmful products like MMA and says the public in general needs to be more aware. "When choosing a salon, ask which chemicals are used.