People are obsessed with their nails these days, aren’t they? Intricate nail art has become wildly popular with everyone from Miley Cyrus to the HelloGiggles girls. Among us mere mortals, the gel manicure is one of the preferred means to maintain those fancy designs for longer. That’s because the gel polish stays on for weeks without chipping or fading. But you may want to think twice before you’re lured into the nail salon by the promise of long-lasting, super-shiny nail color. Gel and shellac manicures, while they may give you the longest-lasting results, also come with a host of increasingly alarming health concerns.
First, let’s define the difference between an acrylic and a gel manicure. Gel nail polish is thicker than traditional nail polish, and made of a different kind of chemical compound. It “dries” using a UV light, and is usually only removable by scraping the nail with metal instruments. Shellac is basically a hybrid product, a combination of a gel polish and a traditional nail polish, which is removed by soaking in acetone. But it really depends on the brand of polish you choose, as different brands have different properties. CND Shellac (which has the durability of gel but goes on with the ease of regular polish) and OPI Gel are two of the most popular brands in nail salons right now.
I’ve gotten a few gel manicures over the past few months. Like most women, I like them for their longevity; I had one fancy, two-tone sparkly manicure that lasted a full three weeks, which I absolutely loved. What I didn’t love was taking the polish off, sitting there in the salon with my hands plunged into smelly acetone remover that gave me a headache and made my fingers actually burn. I couldn’t help but think to myself, “This can’t be safe.”
And I was right, at least somewhat. Acetone is extremely drying and can end up causing your nails to thin and break. Camilla Wells, a teacher and writer in Falls Church, Va., had a bad experience with a gel manicure: “It destroyed my nails. I got talked into it and it was way too expensive. My nails are thin to begin with, and it destroyed my nails, made them dry and break.”
But honestly, acetone is one of the minor concerns about gel manicures. Doctors and other health professionals are becoming increasingly concerned about the UV light necessary to “cure” the polish. A 2009 article published in the Archives of Dermatology found that the average exposure women undergo when getting a gel manicure (about 10 minutes) is definitely enough to increase your risk of skin cancer. The study looked at two women who got skin cancer on their hands, reportedly after routine exposure at the nail salon.
The UV lights used at your local nail salon are similar to tanning beds, and we all know how bad those are for your skin. Dr. Vivian Valenty, president of VB Cosmetics Inc, explains: “Tanning beds are 2-10 times stronger than UV nail lamps, but there is some evidence that UV-A under certain conditions, may act as a complete carcinogen; however, there is also evidence that UV-A acts as a tumor promoter.”
The nail industry disagrees. A representative from CND, which makes shellac polish, recently told the Washington Post: “No one should run screaming from the salon thinking they’re going to get skin cancer. Getting a Shellac manicure is a very, very low-risk behavior.” But Dr. Tanya Kormeili, a dermatologist, adds:
The UV exposure is minimal, true. However, we always have to put in perspective the accumulated radiation our skin gets over time. So if you’re getting exposure from the sun, manicure exposure, exposure while driving and so on…well, it all adds up!
Karen New, who owns Spa Touch nail salon in Orlando, Florida, says that technician error is more concerning to her than UV light risks:
“The bigger issue here is operator error, meaning poor technique. Most of the damage done to anyone’s nails in our industry is improper technique and laziness to learn.”
But it seems that the actual chemicals used in the nail polishes themselves might be an additional cause for alarm, especially after repeated exposure. Dr. Vivian Valenty said:
The gel polishes contain monomers that are skin sensitizers and care should be taken to avoid skin contact with the uncured product including the inhibition layer. Repeated contact could lead to allergies on susceptible individuals.
Some polishes also contain butylated hydroxyanisol, which is a dangerous additive and a known carcinogen. In rare cases, gel manicures can also be responsible for nerve damage to your fingers. Pretty crazy stuff, right? I’m not saying never get another gel or shellac manicure, but it might be smart to save them for special occasions like weddings or vacations.
As Dr. Vivian Valenty commented:
The problem with gel manicures is not just the unknown long term effects of UV exposure and the potential development of allergies through repeated skin contact with the chemicals, but also the damage to the nail caused by the long contact with pure acetone and other strong solvents Just like tobacco, individuals must make their own choice based on the facts presented to them. Smokers know that tobacco causes lung cancer, but they do it anyway.
If you’d like to minimize the risks from gel and shellac manicures, there are a few things you can do.
•Make sure you sit in a well-ventilated area while exposed to acetone. If possible, ask your manicurist if you can sit and soak your nails outside.
•Read the ingredients label on the nail polish. If it contains BHA (butylated hydroxyanisol), don’t get a manicure with that particular polish.
•Apply a broad spectrum 30 or 45 SPF sunscreen before your nails are exposed to the UV light
•Wear gloves with the tips cut off, so less of your skin is exposed to the light
Author of article, Carrie Murphy
My sister sent this article to me and I wanted to share it with ya'll. A lot of these that seem beautiful and appealing can really be dangerous. I have many friends that do this treatment for nails and I my self actually have had it done before I knew. I feel a lot of nail techs dont even know how bad this really is for their clients.
To all my crazy awesome talented nail tech friends, I hope I am not offending you. It is not my desire to attack anyone just bring awareness to all.
Have a fantabulous day!!!
Peace in your heart,
www.BethanyMontecalvo.com
Pittsburgh Makeup Artist
Pittsburgh Organic SPray Tanning
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