Is the UV light from nail lamps harmful?
A new study by UCSD researchers has found that UV lamps for gel products can cause DNA damage and lead to skin cancer. But the research is not fair and many believe that it was written to scare the public. There are several problems with the study, such as extremely long exposure times to UV light and lack of testing on actual skin. Here we will list the most obvious deficiencies in the study:
1. Only cloned skin has been tested in petri dishes.
The skin consists of several layers. The outer layers of the skin provide protection for the inner layers, e.g. against exposure to UV rays. The research was based on studies of cloned skin in petri dishes, which do not consist of all the normal skin layers. Therefore, the skin used in the research was not comparable to real skin.
2. Unnatural and extreme exposure to the UV light
The exposure time (ie the time the cloned skin in petri dishes was exposed to) was very extreme in the research. In the experiment, the cloned skin was exposed to 20 minutes of exposure to light every day for 3 days (so a total of 60 minutes of exposure). With normal use of gel products, the total exposure time is 3-5 minutes.
3. The researchers themselves admit that the time between exposures was not sufficient
The researchers state in their own report that there is insufficient time between exposures for the cells to recover from the exposure. They acknowledge that they set up worst-case test scenarios to demonstrate the greatest effect of the UV energy source on the skin cells tested. So they admit that they have gone in advance to demonstrate the worst possible results.
4. The research method went against good research practice
The correct way to approach research is to examine a topic from a neutral standpoint and design the experiments to obtain factual and viable data. Then objectively analyze the results to form a fair conclusion. Approaching a research task with the goal of demonstrating a particular type of result (such as demonstrating the worst possible outcomes) is not good research practice. So the report was designed, executed and written to support their ideas that nail curing lights are dangerous.
5. The researchers acknowledge and acknowledge that the results are not adequate
Both the report and the article state that "future large-scale epidemiological studies are warranted". In other words, this means that they themselves believe that the results are not generally adequate and therefore require more investigation in order to draw reliable conclusions. It is also stated that it will take at least a decade to complete these tests.
The majority of scientific evidence available globally therefore continues to show that UV nail lamps are safe when used correctly. We therefore do not believe that there is a scientific basis for being worried at all and you can safely continue to use your UV lamp according to the instructions.
Referrals
The study referred to can be found here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-35876-8
The Swedish Cancer Society, which denies that UV light from nail lamps is harmful: https://kbnet3.cancer.dk/kb_letterbox/issue_view.aspx?ID=5772
Statement on the study from the chemist and founder of the American professional gel brand Light Elegance: https://www.lightelegance.com/blogs/news/our-chemists-broke-down-this-study-can-uv-nail-curing -lamps-cause-damage-to-dna-skin-cancer-heres-whats-wrong-with-this-study?fbclid=IwAR1P0BDVskA6s-jwj0NQUGgt2x7k6GiAqLaPLZjcg7Badop7qTzYaVcWywk
Article by Doug Schoon, who is the most recognized researcher in nail products:
https://nailknowledge.org/blog/uv-nail-lamps-under-attacks-again?fbclid=IwAR3PxfiIB3lOw_HYCpe7bgVmFm3Yx6TNB0B1QUgcznpDduwRUVr0OBusM4g
