A public health physician, Dr. Chinonso Egemba, popularly known as Aproko Doctor, has warned against using ultraviolet (UV) nail dryers, saying it can damage skin cells and may increase the risk of skin cancer.
Dr. Egemba stated this in a new post on his Instagram page @aproko_doctor.
He said it is better to use infrared dryers instead of UV nail dryers.
The UV machine uses cold air and combines with UV lights which make it an effective way to dry nails after applying nail varnish.
He said, “You will leave your house, you will go to the nail salon to rub gel polish on your hand and you will put it inside the UV dryer, but it contains UVA which is present in sunlight and has been shown to damage human cells and even kill them.
“The same thing that is in the sunlight that can lead to skin cancer is also in the UVA. Once it damages your cells, it can cause mutations, and mutations can lead to cancer.
“Besides, you are not rubbing sunscreen in that place, you are just putting your hand in the UV dryer for minutes and hours, exposing your skin to direct UVA radiation.
“There is no theory saying that putting your hand inside direct UVA radiation is going to be beneficial for you.”
A publication posted on the website of the Ohio State University noted that the problem is that UVA rays are carcinogenic, and exposing your skin to direct, concentrated amounts is not recommended, whether they’re coming from a tanning bed or a gel manicure dryer.
The publication written by an associate professor of dermatology at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Centre, Susan Massick, stated that frequent use of UV nail dryers can damage DNA and cause cell death in human hands, potentially increasing the risk of skin cancer due to chronic and repeated UV exposure.
Massick added that UV-induced DNA damage proliferates and doesn’t get repaired, leading to cell mutations that then lead to cell dysfunction, cell death, and then skin cancer.
She said, “The best way to reduce the risk of damage to your skin and reduce the risk of skin cancer is to forgo gel manicures or have your nails done this way less often — return to old-fashioned manicures, or reserve the gel manicure for special occasions.
“Gel manicures are popular, though, because they last longer even if you wash your hands frequently throughout the day. So, if you’d still like to have gel manicures, wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen all over your hands or wear finger-less gloves when your hands are under the gel-setting lamps.
“Your salon might also have alternative drying methods, such as LED lights, which are likely safer for the skin.”
