Do you love gel manicures? This message is for you

I have some bad news for ye lovers of gel manicures. I know we love our coffin shaped oval-tipped semi-claws. And the neat, little squares with a bold colour.

Especially when you slip your fingers underneath that little boxy of UV or LED lights to harden them into something that will last you a couple of weeks.

The curing lamp dries nails by use of UVA light. If that made you pause for a moment, it is because it should. UVA and UVB lights are the reason we are relentlessly told to wear sunscreen. Aside from the overwhelming smell of chemicalised nails, it turns out there is one other thing.

The American Academy of Dermatology, August 2011, discussed the dangers to gel nail lovers with Dr Richard K Scher recognising their popularity. Yes, you only go under the lamp for a few minutes, but the problem is UV rays.

Now, imagine getting these gel manicures an average of twice a month which adds up to over a hundred sessions of UV. An online article by wellandgoodness interviews women who have been diagnosed with melanoma, traceable to salon visits. Quick note: when it comes to UV, A is better than B. Lights emit UV/A.

UV rays makes skin age faster. Dr Scher advises salons to take precaution and nail technicians to take care of cuticles and minimise aggressive buffing. Clients too can do something to mitigate the impact of ultraviolet rays.

For a start, if you have not been using sunscreen at all it means you have not developed this habit – applying sunscreen on your hands. This is even more critical for female drivers.

The sun first hits the back of your hands before the rest of your body. Ideally, when wearing sunscreen as part of our morning routines we idly apply the little that was left automatically by swiping it on the back of said hands.

PROTECTIVE MEASURES

The best kind of SPF has zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. If you are sensitive to the sun, chances are you apply sunscreen on your body as well. If savvy, you might have a day hand cream you love with inbuilt SPF. But based on observation, this is not a practice.

If you are a bit extra or a Tyra fan you may be the odd woman in traffic wearing driving gloves in leather. Women who love their gel manicures must wear sunscreen on their hands. For all these reasons.

What can a salon do? They can provide protective fingerless gloves or apply SPF50+ on your hands right before you go under. There is also the option of using an LED lamp which is more expensive and will only cure nail brands that are LED compatible.

They work faster, in 30 seconds instead of the 2 minutes a UV lamp requires. UV lamps cure all brands of gel polish which is why they are common. Both lamps use UV wavelengths; UV lamps emit broader UV wavelengths while LED technology emits narrow ones targeting specific molecules in the gel polish hence the curing speed.

Each nail polish brand usually comes with a corresponding lamp. If the salon’s gel polish of choice is CND Shellac, Indigo Nails Lab, Sally Hansen Salon Gel or Essie Gel to mention a handful, there will be a complementary lamp from the manufacturer to go with the gel polish.

Whether it comes in a UV lamp version or an LED lamp version. Longevity of your manicure is not dependent on the lamp choice but by a skilled manicurist. UV lamps are getting phased out with more LED lamps turning on.

I suspect it has a lot to do with time; 5 seconds to 45 seconds to cure and time is money. A UV lamp’s working ability is also affected by bulb changing frequency while LED bulbs are good to go for as long as the lamp shall live. The use of acetone to break down gel polish has been criticised as making the nail bed more vulnerable.

One more thing. Don’t mistake an allergic reaction to polish for a scare. A type of resin can cause a lip rash, runny nose or sore throat (thank you fumes), blisters around nails, swollen or inflamed cuticles – which could result in contact dermatitis owing to irritation and damage, to actual itchy nails under the polish – you could be reacting to a chemical in the procedure or even acetone.