Gel nails can cause cancer, according to dermatologists

From time to time, new trends appear in nail fashion. short nails, Francesinhas‘only child‘, among others.

The darling of the time is the elongated nail with glass fibers and gel polish, which promise nails with a longer-lasting effect. Because they dispense with maintenance in a time of 2 to 3 weeks, this technique has been in great demand from manicurists. Some are even specializing in this type of nail.

_{Elongated acrylic nails (Reproduction/ Image by valuavitaly on Freepik)}

However, the procedure has been somewhat controversial with regard to health. Recently, studies show that the use of ultraviolet rays (UV) in the enamel drying process can cause skin cancer, especially when the person exposed to them has lighter skin tone.

The bad news was issued last week by National Academy of Medicine from France. According to the announcement made, in addition to the use of UV raysfor the nail polish to have a semi-permanent effect, the nails must be exposed to LED light (light emitting diode)at least 48 watts.

_{Woman with elongated nails (Reproduction/ Image by KamranAydinov on Freepik)}

The booth used in the procedure uses UVA rayswhich penetrates deeply into the skin and, in addition to causing premature aging of the skin, can also increase the risk of skin cancer.

The ideal, according to the Academy, is that a sunscreen is applied to the hands 20 minutes before the procedure with UVA rays.

Allergic reaction

Recently, a case of allergy to the gel nail procedure was reported in the UK. Lisa Dewey, 36 years old, was used to using the technique for more than years. However, she said her fingers were ‘irritated’ after a lengthening procedure and gel polish last month.

The British said that it is difficult to use her hands and that she believes she has suffered an allergic reaction to some product used in the process. She reported that, at first, her nails peeled off and one of her fingers even turned purple, which left her afraid of possible necrosis.

The diagnosis was bacterial infection and she underwent treatment. She had to remove her gel nails and temporarily go without a manicure. But Lisa did not associate what happened with the procedure so well known to her. Therefore, she went back to lengthening her nails and using gel polish after a period. Result: ‘very irritated’ fingers and pain in the hands, which made the British woman believe that the problem was actually in the procedure.

The British Association of Dermatology made an alert last month about the increase in the number of people who had allergic reactions to the technique.

Because it is a very specific procedure, not everyone can perform it. It takes a lot of preparation and the use of the right material to avoid the disastrous consequences that Lisa experienced.

The results of a poorly performed procedure are skin rashes, falling nails and, in more severe cases, breathing difficulties. In addition to what has been reported, the use of this technique, in the long term, can cause other problems. This is because those who are sensitive to the stretching procedure are unable to perform other procedures that use similar chemicals, such as cataract surgery and even dental treatment.

Would it be better to avoid stretching your nails then?

It might be a solution, or at least not subjecting yourself to UVA lights as often. And use sunscreen, of course.

But mostly, look for qualified professionals who use the right products.

But if you still suffer any reaction, stop using gel nails and look for a dermatologist.

Featured photo: Booth for nail stretching. Playback/Javi_Indy/freepik