Research found that radiation emitted by UV nail polish dryers can alter and damage DNA—however, it’s not clear if this is associated with skin cancers or other health risks. “At this point in time, it is difficult to quantify the risks of UVA exposure during repeated gel manicure sessions,” Stern says. There’s much variability with respect to types of lamps, exposure times, positioning of skin, skin types, etc.
“We do know that repeated exposure to UVA from sunlight or tanning machines is mutagenic and can cause skin cancer; the question remains as to how much of a risk typical gel manicures pose,” she adds—which means we need more studies to confirm the risk.
But, we do know that UVA rays contribute to photoaging.
