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UV nail dryers used for gel polish could cause cancer - New study

A Cambridge University study has shown that ultraviolet (UV) nail polish dryers, which are frequently used for gel manicures, can damage cells and cause cancer-causing mutations.

Using UV nail dryers

This, according to the study published in Nature Communications can lead to cancer.

The Study

Two sets of cells were examined in two separate UV exposure circumstances for the study, which was published on Tuesday.

The UV dryers were used on cell one for two 20-minute sessions with an hour interval.

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Cell two with chronic exposure received one 20-minute session every day for three days.

Researchers discovered that three consecutive 20-minute bouts of exposure in cell one to the UV dryers resulted in 65 to 70% cell death. The three-day 20-minute exposure in cell two sessions resulted in 20 to 30% cell death.

The exposure led to abnormalities in the remaining cells that are frequently found in skin cancer.

Professor of Bioengineering and author of the study at UC San Diego, Ludmil Alexandrov stated in a release, “The exact identical patterns of mutations that we observed in the irradiated cells were present in the skin C patients we examined.”

4 common manicure mistakes you need to avoid

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Achieving the perfect manicure look is not always simple. Try avoiding these mistakes:

  • Peeling it off

Most people don’t have the patience to book a removal appointment and submit to a soak-off process. Instead, they start to peel the lacquer off the nail which can cause damage to the upper layer of the nail and lead to dryness, cracking or infections.

If you’d still prefer to take off your gel manicure at home, invest in an at-home removal kit or create a DIY one with 100 per cent acetone solution.

  • Going for cheap
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Nail manicures don’t come cheap, especially the ones from great salons. Therefore, many women are opting to get their gel manicures done at cheaper neighbourhood salons. While that might be a great decision for your purse, it isn’t so good for your nails.

It’s very likely that cheaper salons go for older systems which don’t cure the nails properly leading to manicures that peel away within days. Make sure that your salon of choice is using the latest and greatest technologies.

  • Mixing nail systems

While it’s not a cardinal sin, mixing and matching different nail systems can be harmful to your nails.

These products are designed differently and the whole line of products (prep products, base coats, top coats and colour) are designed to work together towards giving you the shiniest, strongest finish. Mixing up products can mess up results and even make removal harder. Please, stick to the same brand.

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  • Fidgeting

Waiting patiently for the gel to cure can be a challenge to many…even if it’s just for a few minutes! There’s the temptation to remove your hand from the curation light device to respond to texts or check your social media platforms.

The timers on the curing devices exist for a reason. The gel needs all those allocated seconds to cure properly to ensure you a long-lasting manicure.

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