Gel nails are under some serious scrutiny at the moment. First, a study published by researchers at the University of California, San Diego, found that radiation emitted from UV lamps, which cure gel polish to your nails, leads to cancer-causing mutations in human cells.
Now dermatologists warn that they are increasingly treating people for allergic reactions to gel nails – claims that the UK government is taking so seriously, the Office for Product Safety and Standards is investigating. So, how alarmed should we really be?
Gel nails and allergic reactions
According to Dr Deirdre Buckley of the British Association of Dermatologists, there have been some (rare) reports of people’s nails falling off, skin rashes and even, in rarer cases, breathing difficulties following gel nail treatments. The root cause of these reactions in some people is an allergy to hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) chemicals, which are found in gel nail polish and are used to bond the formula to the nail.
“HEMA is an ingredient that has been used in gel formulations for decades,” explains Stella Cox, Head of Education at Bio Sculpture. “However, if a formula contains too much of it, or uses low grade HEMA that doesn’t fully polymerise during curing, then it causes havoc on people’s nails and they can very quickly develop an allergy.”
This is something you can check with the salon brand you use, by getting in touch and asking for a full ingredients list.
According to Stella, using high-quality HEMA means that “there are no free particles left on the nail plate”, which ensures that the risk of an allergic reaction “is greatly diminished”. It is, of course, best practice to be mindful of HEMA if you have experienced any sort of reaction before – and always consult your doctor if you experience any worrying symptoms following your gel manicure.
It seems that some DIY gel kits are to blame for allergic reactions, as some UV lamps don’t work with every type of gel polish. The lamps also have to be the correct number watts (at least 36 watts) and wavelength in order to properly cure the gel, otherwise these chemicals can penetrate the nail bed and surrounding skin.
Stella recommends that even in the salon: “It is important to always check that the same brand of product is used throughout your treatment – that means the same brand base, colour and top coat, as well as the lamp – to ensure a safe manicure.”
Are UV lamps for gel nails safe?
UV lamps are a common fixture in nail salons around the world. The light boxes and lamps used at nail salons emit UVA light at a spectrum of 340-395nm to set the gel polish. This is different to sunbeds, which use a spectrum of 280-400nm and have conclusively been proven to be carcinogenic.
And yet, over the years, there’s been rumblings of UV nail lamps being potentially harmful to the skin, but no hard scientific evidence ever came to light to back up these theories – until now.
Post time: Apr-17-2024
