Wait, Can Gel Nail Lamps Damage Your Skin?
Art Direction and Photograph by: Catie Menke. Model: Emilee Kunz.
Copy by: Renee Albera
Creative Direction: Catie Menke
The good news with this story is the proof needed to make the case that gel nail lamps are damaging our skin is already a well-known fact. Exposure to UVA radiation causes premature aging of the skin.
So, why are we subjecting our skin to such a damaging agent during a beauty treatment???
First, your hand is under the lamp for a short amount of time. LED nail lamps cure each coat in 30 seconds. Wow! So fast. And you might only get your nails done every 2-3 weeks, so the exposure seems to be intermittent.
Art Direction and Photograph by: Catie Menke. Model: Emilee Kunz.
But let’s address so more facts. UV exposure and its subsequent damage is cumulative. Your exposure from last year, last week, walking to the car, driving without gloves and all the years of tanning before we knew it was bad just keeps adding up. You might be thinking 2 to 3 minutes of total exposure every two to three weeks seems inconsequential. It’s not.
A workable solution to this could be to limit your exposure to UV light in as many circumstances as possible and this would mean, especially during a beauty treatment!
Every gel manicure is equal to 40 minutes of direct sunlight from a light source that is less than 1 cm above your skin. And almost every nail technician doubles the curing time to 60 seconds per coat, so now you are being exposed to even larger doses of UVA radiation.
How many of you are taking birth control, acne medication, wear make-up or perfume, maybe drink celery juice? Well, any of these can render you sensitive to light. This means any damage to your skin is now intensified when exposed to UV light. “Sadly, most people have no idea that they have increased UV sensitivity-whether it is due to a medication, supplement, or medical state. They may or may not see the potential damages immediately after an exposure to an UV lamp, but will suffer the consequences from the cumulative exposure at an accelerated rate as compared to an individual without UV sensitivity,” Dr. Chris Adigun.
But your hands look fine. So this seems made up.
But it’s not. The damage to your skin is happening every time you put your hands under the nail lamp. It takes on 10-12 visits before your DNA starts to mutate. That doesn’t sound good because it is not.
Following the science makes sense here too. Remember that your next gel manicure so you can keep your skin looking youthful and healthy by protecting it.
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