Are nail drying lamps carcinogenic?

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For a few days nail drying lamps have been a trend.

And not exactly for the better.

The controversy has been unleashed as a result of the publication of a scientific article by the University of California on the

that accelerate the drying of nail polish.

Why have you given them in California to study something so specific?

Because some shrewd researcher began to suspect that there could be a relationship between the use of these lamps and some cases of squamous cell carcinomas and actinic keratoses detected in their users.

Although not many cases have been reported so far, we know that there are patients who, for example, used these lamps every two months for fifteen years.

How was the study conducted and what was observed?

Before going into flour, it is important to analyze how the research has developed.

And the first thing is to clarify that it deals with

, that is, carried out in cells

.

It would be unethical to subject humans to radiation from lamps to see its effects when there are indications that such an effect may be harmful.

For this reason, studies have been carried out on isolated cells, specifically of three types: cells from the epidermis of adult human skin, cells from human foreskin, and mouse embryonic cells.

They exposed these cells for 20 minutes under these lamps and... bad news: they observed that

of them died and that, in addition,

.

Houston: We have a problem...or not

Despite the results obtained, an

study , carried out on isolated cells, is not really enough to issue a firm and definitive conclusion.

And this is where the trouble comes because, as we have mentioned, it is not possible to investigate directly in humans

to get to the bottom of the issue for ethical reasons.

Then what do we do?

The authors of the study

.

That is, a larger study, comparing what happens between people who use these lamps versus people who do not use them.

The problem is that this possible study is going to take a long time and we would not have these results for a few years.

The problem, once again, is that

.

What do we do in the meantime?

Do we stop using the lamps?

Are all lamps the same?

There are different models of nail polish drying lamps (ultraviolet, LED...), but

.

Although the intensity of the devices varies, it is true that the studies available to date suggest that they are not

innocuous

But it is also true that if we are concerned about the possible risks of these lamps due to the fact that they emit UVA radiation, we should also be concerned (and perhaps much more) about the UVA radiation to which we are all exposed as soon as we set foot on the street.

Nobody worries when they sit down to have a beer in the sun.

And yet, now we're all panicking about these

.

It is important to understand the context in which each one of us moves and, while always being cautious, to relativize the risk.

Advice for those who wish to continue using these lamps in beauty centers

The advice of the experts is to maintain the same precaution that they already recommend with respect to the sun.

That is, if due to the emission of ultraviolet radiation we must limit sun exposure as much as possible, we should also limit the use of these lamps as much as possible.

What alternatives do we have?

Air dry, even if it's slower, or use hot air dryers, even if it's more uncomfortable.

You can also apply something that in

jargon is called a quick-drying

(products that promote drying).

If, despite everything, there are those who want to continue using these lamps, you can do something very simple:

, only with the part of the nail clipped or

that protects against ultraviolet A radiation.

Important!

Keep in mind that, as those who have ever been to a beauty salon will know, sometimes you end up in 'spa manicure and pedicure' mode with your extremities soaking.

In this case, the protector should be reapplied after soaking.

Let's remember that the ideal is that about twenty minutes elapse after applying the sunscreen to make sure that it is fully effective.

oh!

And it is important that we consider, as always, that

.

Other risks of manicures: allergy to acrylates

, has been observed, especially among aesthetic professionals

.

The 'culprit' is

, a material that is also present in paints, varnishes and adhesives.

Acrylates, when in contact with the skin, can be recognized as an allergen and cause an allergic reaction.

There is an added problem and that is that

.

And this is truly a problem since they are increasingly

.

Let me explain: a person who develops an allergy to something so seemingly commonplace, such as exposure to permanent nail polish, gel nails, or acrylic nails, may experience rejection of a hip replacement in the future if the replacement is Contains acrylate in its composition.

For this reason, it is recommended that the people most exposed to these products, such as aesthetic professionals, use glasses, gloves and a mask, as a barrier protection method when performing this enamel technique.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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