# Asking my diabetic friend to remove my nailpolish
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-my-diabetic-friend-to-remove-my-nailpolish/712286
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 10, 2015, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-my-diabetic-friend-to-remove-my-nailpolish/712286 "2015-02-10T09:30:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@monkeytail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monkeytail)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2015, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-my-diabetic-friend-to-remove-my-nailpolish/712286/1 "2015-02-10T09:30:55Z")
Hello everyone,
My friend has diabetes and while reading about this metabolic disease, I came to learn that ketones such as acetone are produced which can be detected in their breath.
How feasible would it be to remove nail polish by asking my friend to breathe onto my nails?
Thanks
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### Author:  [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2015, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-my-diabetic-friend-to-remove-my-nailpolish/712286/2 "2015-02-10T11:23:28Z")
I’m not going to do the actual math, but I expect you’d have more luck (yet still none) waving your hands over an open container of nail polish remover.
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### Author:  [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2015, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-my-diabetic-friend-to-remove-my-nailpolish/712286/3 "2015-02-10T11:36:40Z")
> [@naita](#):
>
> I’m not going to do the actual math, but I expect you’d have more luck (yet still none) waving your hands over an open container of nail polish remover.
Ditto. I suppose it would be like trying to get drunk from breathing a drunk’s breath.
On the other hand, second-hand smoke IS pretty unhealthy – but only in the long term. You’re gonna need something more fast-acting to get rid of the nail polish.
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2015, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-my-diabetic-friend-to-remove-my-nailpolish/712286/4 "2015-02-10T11:59:01Z")
Lemme tell you about the contact high backstage at Sublime.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2015, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-my-diabetic-friend-to-remove-my-nailpolish/712286/5 "2015-02-10T16:08:22Z")
If they’re producing significant ketones they’re in dire straights. Better to call an ambulance than to fuss with your nails.
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### Author:  [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2015, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-my-diabetic-friend-to-remove-my-nailpolish/712286/6 "2015-02-10T16:11:42Z")
Perhaps if he [urinated](http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-and-care/blood-glucose-control/checking-for-ketones.html) on your hands.
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### Author:  [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2015, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-my-diabetic-friend-to-remove-my-nailpolish/712286/7 "2015-02-10T16:23:38Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> If they’re producing significant ketones they’re in dire straights. Better to call an ambulance than to fuss with your nails.
And, if his breath will take the polish off your nails, he probably needs a Tic Tac.
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2015, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-my-diabetic-friend-to-remove-my-nailpolish/712286/8 "2015-02-10T16:37:26Z")
And if you give a diabetic Tic Tacs…
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### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2015, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-my-diabetic-friend-to-remove-my-nailpolish/712286/9 "2015-02-10T17:01:26Z")
> [@lieu](#):
>
> And if you give a diabetic Tic Tacs…
Worst. Bedtime Book. EVER…
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### Author:  [@JimSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimSC)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-my-diabetic-friend-to-remove-my-nailpolish/712286/10 "2015-02-10T17:37:28Z")
How would your friend feel about being used as a salon appliance?
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### Author:  [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2015, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-my-diabetic-friend-to-remove-my-nailpolish/712286/11 "2015-02-10T19:15:24Z")
There’s no need to involve the friend. Ketosis can be induced in a non-diabetic person simply by [fasting](http://www.allaboutfasting.com/effects-of-fasting-ketosis.html) long enough.
(As an aside, this thread led me to discover that there is a a website out there called “All About Fasting.” Who knew?)
> [@JimSC](#):
>
> How would your friend feel about being used as a salon appliance?
Hey, it’s better than referring to his mother as a garden tool.
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### Author:  [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2015, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-my-diabetic-friend-to-remove-my-nailpolish/712286/12 "2015-02-10T19:17:55Z")
> [@jayjay](#):
>
> Worst. Bedtime Book. EVER…
Hee, hee, hee. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2015, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asking-my-diabetic-friend-to-remove-my-nailpolish/712286/13 "2015-02-12T06:36:03Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#):
>
> Perhaps if he [urinated](http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-and-care/blood-glucose-control/checking-for-ketones.html) on your hands.
Or have your friend lick your fingernails.