*DERMATOLOGIST WARNS GEL MANICURES ARE A CANCER RISK... BUT READ ON TO SEE HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF (Washington Times, New York Post, Journal of the American Academy of Medicine - 3/7/13) Dr. C. Adigun, with the New York University School of Medicine, warned that the fad of replacing nail polish with the quick-hardening gel manicure could result in skin cancer. The risk of skin cancer is due to the UV light that is needed to dry the gel. The doctor advises, Moderation is the key when it comes to gel manicures,” and advocates wearing sun screen for women who get frequent gel manicures. Because UV lamps are not regulated, no one can determine what the proper dose of these harmful rays might be. A study in JAMA, 2009, reported two middle-aged females with no history of skin cancer presented with cancerous tumors of their hands, which is a very unusual area. It was postulated this was due to their exposure to UV nail lights. In contrast, LED lamps that can be used to dry non-gel nail polish don’t pose a risk, as they do not emit UV radiation. An additional issue with gel nail use is that it may lead to nail thinning, brittleness, and cracking that can take a considerable amount of time to correct. ANY DOCTOR HAS TO AGREE THAT GEL NAILS ARE NOT THE BEST THING FOR YOUR HEALTH, BUT THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, IF YOU HAVE EVER HAD ONE THEY ARE SO DURABLE THAT IT MAKES IT HARD TO GO BACK TO A REGULAR MANICURE THAT CAN CHIP IN A DAY OR TWO. THE DOCTORS COMMENTS ARE VALID. MODERATION WOULD DICTATE THAT YOU SAVE THE GEL MANICURE FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS SUCH AS GOING AWAY ON A VACATION, ETC. IF YOU DECIDE TO GET ONE. HERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO BE SAFER: 1) WEAR SUNSCREEN ON YOUR HANDS BEFORE PUTTING THEM UNDER THE UV LIGHTS. THIS MUST BE A PHYSICAL SUNSCREEN, SUCH AS THE ELTA BRAND, WHICH WE CARRY IN THE OFFICE. I HAVE A FAVORITE ONE THAT I USE. MANY OVER-THE-COUNTER SUNSCREENS ARE CHEMICAL, SO THEY DON’T EVEN START WORKING UNTIL 20 MINUTES AFTER YOU APPLY THEM...WELL BY THAT TIME I AM BACK IN MY CAR! 2) PUT ON GLOVES AFTER IN ADDITION TO THE SUNSCREEN JUST BEFORE THEY PAINT THE NAILS AND YOU GO UNDER THE UV LIGHTS. I USE A PAIR OF OLD LEATHER GLOVES (THEY MUST BE LEATHER, AS CLOTH WILL NOT BLOCK THE UV LIGHT) AND YOU CUT OFF THE FINGER TIPS. OR YOU CAN BUY ROYAL NAILS ANTI-UV GLOVES ON AMAZON. THE PRICE RANGES FROM $6-$25. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO VERIFY SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE FOR THEIR UV PROTECTION CLAIMS. IF ANY OF YOU CAN, LET ME KNOW. I DO KNOW THAT LADIES FINE LEATHER GLOVES WILL WORK. 3) TRY TO AVOID CHEAP UV LAMPS THAT DON’T HAVE SPECIFIC TIMERS AND THE NAIL TECHNICIANS JUST LEAVE THEM ON UNTIL THEY ARE FINISHED WHAT THEY ARE DOING. THE TECHNOLOGY IS AVAILABLE TO USE LED LIGHTS WHICH ARE SAFE. SALONS GENERALLY DON’T BUY THESE AS THE ARE CONSIDERABLY MORE EXPENSIVE, AND SOME GEL POLISH ONLY RESPONDS TO UV LIGHT. THE MORE WE ASK THE SALONS FOR THE USE OF LED PRODUCTS THE SOONER THE INDUSTRY WILL BE MOVED TO PROVIDE SAFER GEL NAIL PRODUCTS.
Posted on: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 11:36:52 +0000
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