Why everyone's suddenly worried about UV nail polish dryers

UV gel manicures are pretty popular as they are more chip-resistant and long-lasting than traditional manicures.

However, you may want to think twice about getting it done now that the gel drying machines have been linked to cancer-causing mutations.

Researchers at the University of Southern California San Diego published their findings in a report in the journal Nature Communications.

Their interest was sparked when they came across an article about a young beauty pageant contestant who developed a rare form of cancer on her finger.

Using three different combinations of human and mouse cells, researchers discovered that one 20-minute session with an ultraviolet nail polish dryer could cause 20 and 30 per cent cell death.

If three consecutive 20-minute exposures were done, it would cause 65 and 70 per cent of the exposed cells to die off.

The cells that were left over were found to have mitochondrial and DNA damage, including mutations that have been observed in skin cancer.

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“Our experimental results and the prior evidence strongly suggest that radiation emitted by UV-nail polish dryers may cause cancers of the hand and that UV-nail polish dryers, similar to tanning beds, may increase the risk of early-onset skin cancer,” the researchers wrote.

The researchers also note that extensive epidemiological studies are needed to precisely quantify the risk for skin cancer for those who regularly get gel manicures.

Still, they said the studies would take a least a decade to be completed before more information is released to the public.

According to a Nails Magazine article, gel manicures were first introduced to the market in the 1980s with little success as manufacturers of gel lights and gel polish didn’t work together, and nail techs were unaware of how to use the product.

Towards the end of the 1990s, gel nails made its way back to the US nail market with formulas that were created to work with a precise light wavelength and intensity.

In the NAILS 2017-2018 Big Book, 86 per cent of salons were offering gel polish and 55 per cent provided gel extension services to clients.

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