There’s an unfortunate drawback to those gel manicures you love because they last so much longer than traditional manicures. The curing lamps that you sit under a few minutes to dry each hand blast out ultraviolet A (UVA) rays that are four times as strong as the rays emitted by the sun.
The FDA says curing lamps pose a low risk, but the journal JAMA Dermatology said in 2009 that researchers found skin cancer on the hands of two women who had both used nail curing lamps. Neither woman had previous personal or family history of skin cancer.
The best advice is to take some precautions before your next gel manicure. Limit use to once in a while and don’t make a regular habit of them. Apply sunscreen to your hands using one that’s SPF of 30 to 50 broad-spectrum and covers both UVA and UVB light.
Make sure your salon is using LED lights and not lamps that emit UVA and/or UVB radiation. Dermatologists warn to steer clear of these ultraviolet A (UVA) rays to avoid skin cancer and premature aging.
