Researchers found that "between 20 and 30% cell death" can occur after just one 20-minute session.
A recent study found that UV nail polish dryers, which are frequently used for gel manicures, have been linked to cellular problems that may lead to cancer. The results were further explained in a statement from UC San Diego after they were published in the Nature Communications journal on Tuesday. The study discovered that “radiation released by UV nail polish dryers may both damage DNA and permanently engrave alterations” inside of cells.
(Istock)
In fact, researchers found that “between 20 and 30% cell death” can occur after just one 20-minute session. It was discovered that the cells that aren’t eliminated can sustain DNA damage and encounter alterations that are comparable with findings in persons who have been diagnosed with skin cancer. Professor Dr. Ludmil Alexandrov of UCSD responded to these results by saying that the items are “marketed as safe” without knowing the effects they have at the molecular level.
“If you look at the way these devices are presented, they are marketed as safe, with nothing to be concerned about. But to the best of our knowledge, no one has actually studied these devices and how they affect human cells at the molecular and cellular levels until now.”
(Istock)
The seriousness of the problem was further explained by Alexandrov, who said that irreversible DNA changes may happen “after every encounter.” He further underlined that skin cancer patients exhibit “exactly the same patterns of mutations.”
“We saw multiple things: first, we saw that DNA gets damaged. We also saw that some of the DNA damage does not get repaired over time, and it does lead to mutations after every exposure with a UV-nail polish dryer…We looked at patients with skin cancers, and we see the exact same patterns of mutations in these patients that were seen in the irradiated cells.”
Nail polish dryers (Photo: Everlyne Standard)
It’s interesting to note that Alexandrov says he was motivated to research UV nail polish dryers after reading a story about a competitor in a beauty pageant who had been identified as having a rare type of skin cancer on her finger. Dr. Maria Zhivagui, the study’s principal investigator, made a point of describing how her studies on the topic convinced her to give up gel manicures.
“When I was doing my Ph.D., I started hearing about gel manicures, which last longer than normal polish..I started using gel manicures periodically for several years. Once I saw the effect of radiation emitted by the gel polish drying device on cell death and that it actually mutates cells even after just one 20-minute session, I was surprised. I found this to be very alarming, and decided to stop using it.”
(Istock)
The findings “highly imply” that UV nail polish dryers “may raise the incidence of early-onset skin cancer. – Steve Sijenyi
