THE TRUTH ABOUT UV DRYING LAMPS: THE MANY WAYS TO PROECT YOUR SKIN AT THE NAIL SALON
There’s nothing quite like a fresh manicure! Here at Pittsburgh Skin, we love to keep our nails looking their best. However, we often advocate against the convenience a gel coat provides. While a quick dry time and lasting set can be tempting, the UV-lamp drying process can be detrimental to your skin. The UV light emitted from a gel polish dryer is the same emitted from tanning beds. As you know from reading our past blogs, tanning bed use has been found to substantially increase your risk for developing melanoma, the world’s deadliest skin cancer. Melanoma can develop anywhere on the body, even your hands and fingers. So what can you do to avoid skin cancer while still enjoying a monthly manicure?
LIMIT EXPOSURE
A big factor in determining whether or not you should reconsider your gel coat is the amount of gel manicures you’re receiving each month, paired with the time you spend under the lamp each visit. For example, it is far riskier to get an elaborate manicure (with designs requiring multiple paint coats and UV drying cycles) once per week than to receive just a basic color coat once per month. The essential rule of thumb is the greater the exposure (via frequency or coats), the greater the risk, even if that exposure does come in 30 second increments.
APPLY SUNSCREEN PRIOR TO YOUR VISIT
Even though some concern exists regarding the UV lamp drying, that doesn’t mean that you should stop getting your nails done if it is something you enjoy! If you’re a frequent fan of a gel or similar quick-drying manicure, consider applying a high SPF sunscreen to your hands/nail beds prior to your visit to the salon to enjoy UV protection while you dry. Applying in the car, or even just before painting, will provide more protection than without. It’s certainly not a guarantee, but it’s the best protection you can offer your skin without compromising your preferred polish.
OPT FOR AN ALTERNATIVE
If you are someone that loves a monthly manicure and has been “gelling” for quite some time, consider switching to a similarly beneficial nail technique. Our clients have had similarly great experience with using dipping powder, which does not require the use of a UV lamp and lasts up to 3 weeks over gel’s traditional 2. A “dip” can be performed at a nail salon and actually takes less time overall than a gel polish. Of course, we also recommend a traditional polish with fan dry – you can’t beat a classic polish if you’ve got the extra dry time to spare!
We hope that these tips help you keep your nails and skin looking and feeling their best all year long! If you’re concerned about the health of your hands, consider a consultation with Dr. Nicole Vélez and the staff at Pittsburgh Skin! We’re just a phone call way Monday-Friday, virtually or in-person, to keep your Pittsburgh skin healthy!! Schedule a consult today at (412) 206-2966.