Just when I was finally feeding into all the hype behind the convenient, chip-free gel manicures, a cancer scare had to rain on my parade. Yes, chicas, you might want to think twice before booking an appointment for your next gel mani because according to dermatologists it can cause some pretty lasting damage to your nails and even–NOOOO!–increase your chances of skin cancer. Doesn't that just suck?
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Here's the problem: the quick drying, long lasting gel polishes set using a UV light lamp which allegedly is what poses health risks. According to Dr. Chris Adigun, from New York University School of Medicine, it can cause just as much damage as a tanning bed. Let's face it: UV radiation any way you acquire it is bad news. So this didn't come off as a total shocker.
A 2009 study published in Archives of Dermatology looked at two cases of women who developed skin cancer on the back of their hands caused by the frequent exposure to UV nail lamps. Both women had no personal or family history of skin cancer and lived lives where they received moderate exposure to sunlight.
Doctors recommend that women only get gel manicures for special occasions to decrease their chances of developing skin cancer. They also suggest you apply sunscreen beforehand to try to block the UV from the skin.
Gel manicures can also cause nail thinning and brittleness. It's still unclear whether these side effects are caused by the chemicals in the gel polish itself or from the acetone used to remove it, but even so, it's definitely something to keep in mind. I have to admit after receiving just one gel mani treatment I did notice that my nails appeared significantly weaker.
As if I didn't have enough on my mind these days, now I have to worry about gel manicures and skin cancer. Honestly I'm not sure how I feel about completely forgoing them. From what I've seen most salons use UV lights as a quick dry solution for even regular manicures. So how are these worse? Even so, the idea of jeopardizing my health just for perfect-looking nails seems silly to me. One thing is for sure: All of us gel manicure-loving ladies definitely have a lot to think about!
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