Are you also a Gel Nail Polish Dryer? The Hidden Dangers of UV Nail Polish Dryers

Gel nails are very popular these days, especially among young girls and women. It's easy to go to a salon and get your nails painted in a beautiful color, then put them in a blue light machine to dry them quickly, and the nail polish stays beautiful for a long time. But have you ever thought that behind that blue light, there might be something that we can't see with our eyes, and that we need to think about a little? That's what we're going to talk about today.

What exactly is this UV light?

Simply put, this nail dryer emits ultraviolet rays , or what we call (Ultraviolet - UV) rays. When you hear this, you probably think of the UV rays in the sun. Yes, this is the same type of ray. We know that UV rays can cause our skin to burn, wrinkle over time, and even cause skin cancer .

These UV dryers used in salons mainly contain a type of radiation called UV-A. These are the ones that react with the chemicals in gel nail polish and quickly harden it into a thick, shiny state. There has long been a lot of talk about the cancer risk of UV rays from tanning beds. So, scientists had a question, "So is this UV light that dries nails just as dangerous?"

What did the latest research reveal?

Recently, a group of researchers from the University of California, USA, began to investigate this. The results of their research were published in the famous scientific journal `Nature Communications`. Reading this, it leaves you with something to think about.

Think about it this way. What researchers have done is grow a type of cell, just like our skin cells, in a petri dish in the lab, and expose those cells to UV light, which is what dries nails.

The results are a bit surprising.

• After 20 minutes of continuous exposure to UV light, about 30% of those cells died .
• After three such sessions, the number of dead cells has increased by between 65% and 70% .

But the story doesn't end there. When the surviving cells were examined, the researchers found that they were also damaged. In particular, the DNA , which stores the cell's genetic information, and the mitochondria , which act as the cell's energy factories, were damaged. They also found that some of the changes (mutations) that occur when DNA is damaged in this way are similar to those seen in skin cancer cells.

So should we be afraid now? What is the real risk?

Okay, reading this might scare you. You might be thinking, "Oh my, I get gel nails once a week, will I get cancer too?"

Wait, don't worry. Let's clarify a few things.

First of all: This is a study done in a lab using cells. The researchers themselves say that further, long-term studies, perhaps lasting ten years , are needed to tell exactly how this will affect people's hands in real life.

Second and most importantly: The risk depends on how often you are exposed to it . Think about it, there is a big difference between the risk of someone who goes to a wedding once a year and gets gel nails done, and the risk of someone who goes to the salon once every two weeks. With repeated exposure to UV rays, the damage to the skin increases (`cumulative damage`).

However, this cannot be taken lightly. The researchers concluded, "There is strong evidence that radiation emitted from these UV nail dryers may contribute to skin cancer of the hands."

What can I do to protect myself?

"Okay, so should I stop doing gel nails altogether?" you might be wondering. Absolutely not. But, it's better if we do this a little smarter and safer. Below are some simple things you can do.

Especially if someone in your family has had skin cancer, or if you have very pale skin that burns easily, it is very important to think twice about this risk and talk to your doctor about it before getting gel nails.