There has been a lot of buzz and controversy about the safety of using UV and LED lights for Shellac Gel Manicures and Pedicures and whether the exposure is enough to cause cancer.
The media has definitely put a negative spin on this topic and is creating a bit of an unnecessary panic.
Research has shown that there is very little risk associated with the use of these lights.
The amount of energy from a UV lamp during a nail service would be roughly equivalent to the amount of UV exposure one would experience during a typical day of exposure in indoor fluorescent lighting.
A nail-industry sponsored study conducted at the Lighting Sciences Inc., an independent lab in Scottsdale, Arizona found that getting a gel manicure every two weeks is equivalent to spending an extra two minutes in the sun every day.
More problematic is when you are driving.
Your hands and arms get more UV exposure holding the steering wheel of a car or talking on a cell phone outside than they do from the use of UV nail lamps.
An easy preventative to protect yourself during a gel manicure, is to apply broad spectrum sunscreen to your hands at least 15 minutes prior to your nail service.