There is currently no scientific evidence to distinguish the health effects of at-home gel manicures from salon gel manicures. white spots on nails known as pseudoleukonychia.The study associates the removal process with:

However, due to the study’s small sample size, more research is needed on the connection between different manicures and hygiene.Ī 2016 study reports that it might be harder to remove gel than acrylic, making gel nail removal more likely to cause damage to the nails. Although both types produce the same number of bacteria, it may be harder for people to properly clean gel nails than acrylic nails. Read more about the safety of gel nail polish.Ī 2018 study notes that acrylic nails and gel nails harbor more bacteria than natural nails. Among those individuals, 30.3% reported decreased nail toughness, and 24.7% reported splitting nails.Īlthough these findings may be unreliable due to the self-reporting methodology, they suggest some possible concerns with gel manicures.

Post manicure: Around 75% of the study group reported side effects after removing the polish.

Out of those, 9.6% reported an itch, and 9.6% reported pain or burning sensations.

Wearing the manicure: Around 20% of the study group reported side effects while wearing the polish.

Among those individuals, around 50.4% reported either pain or burning sensations.

Applying the manicure: Around 8.3% of the study group reported side effects while applying the polish.

The study authors reported the following major results: Moreover, individuals can easily lower their risk of developing skin cancer from these light sources by applying sunscreen before their gel manicure.Ī 2020 study recorded the experiences of 2,118 women who have used gel manicures. However, the same 2020 review did not find a link between regular gel manicures and skin cancer. Due to UV radiation, artificial tanning in salons poses a significant risk for skin cancer. The majority of gel manicure light units emit high intensity UVA radiation, and there is some concern about whether these might pose a skin cancer risk.

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