Jennifer’s Jittery: My nail salon uses a UV nail polish dryer. Should I be worried about age spots on the top of my hands and feet from the UV light?
The Right Brain enlightens her:
We looked into UV dryers and found that the wavelength of the light they produce IS the same type that causes photo-aging and skin cancer. (That’s the UVA range from about 320 nm to 400 nm for those of you keeping score at home.)
Nail dryers won’t cause sunburn
Fortunately, the danger seems pretty slight because drying lamps have a very low power output, only around 10 watts. Compare that to the power of a full sized tanning bed that can put out up to 2400 watts! So your fingers probably aren’t in much danger. Still, if you’re concerned you could apply some sunblock before using the lamp.
(Are any of you nail salon owners out there listening? That would be a great way to plus up your service for your customers. Offer them a little sunscreen to moisturize and protect the skin of their fingers while the nail lamp is doing its drying duty.)
But they can still be dangerous
So is there ANY danger associated with using UV drying lamps? Yes, in fact, you might be in danger of getting ripped off!
That’s because UV light only works on special, more expensive, topcoats that contain a certain type of acrylic polymer that is cross linked by the light. Some salons try to save money by using a regular top coat before using the drying lamp. The UV light won’t do anything to make that kind of polish dry faster. So whether you use OPI, Sally Hansen, or any other brand, it makes sense to ask what top coat the nail technician is using so you can make sure you’re getting what you pay for!
Loading ...
keryn Says:
So…what’s with the photo of the messed up fingers?
Anna Says:
What in Gods’ name is wrong with those fingers????? That’s gross!
kirsty Says:
That picture makes my skin crawl!
Lynda Says:
Those are some sick nails. If your salon is not using the right top coat why use the lamp at all. I really don’t think anyone would waste their time. There are also many other top coats that you do not need a lamp for them to dry in 5 minutes or less. Lets no assume that everyone is trying to rip us off. They are in business to make money and make you beautiful.
MoxieHart Says:
That picture is an urban legend, I’ve seen it on Snopes before. The pic has been circulating the web and is alleged to be a picture of someone’s fingers who used a keyboard waaaaay too much. They’re actually fingers with what I think are lamprey mouths photoshopped on to them. Freaky but fake.
MoxieHart Says:
Here’s the link to the story, btw.
http://www.snopes.com/photos/gruesome/fingers.asp
Michelle Says:
I have never heard of UV dryers. I try to schedule my manicures when I know I have time to let my polosh dry. I take my keys out of my purse, pay the manicurist before she does my nails, and in the winter I leave my coat on. I also try to make my manicure the last stop of the day.
Melody Says:
Ok, the picture is so out of context that you have lost a reader
thebeautybrains Says:
Melody,
Is the picture out of context? The post is about finger nails and the picture is about fingers. I’d say that’s close enough. But I AM really sorry if it disturbed you. As we’ve mentioned before, we try to give our readers something different to look at than the other beauty sites. Most of our readers seem to appreciate the “wackiness” that the photos invoke. (Moxie even went to the trouble of tracking down the source!)
Do we get carried away once in a while? Maybe, but we certainly don’t mean to offend.
Thanks for reading and we hope you decide to stick around!
MoxieHart Says:
It’s really stupid to leave because of a picture. Seriously, it’s just something weird to go with the article. It’s not like it’s a picture of someone kicking a puppy or something.
GetLucy Says:
I have to agree with MoxieHart. It’s not like they are advertising a product, and using that picture to seduce you into buying something. Lighten up.
Ha…UV lights… lighten up. Ok, Im done.
Blonde #1 Says:
I thought that was a picture of Gwen Stefani’s nails! She’s so trendy and I just assumed the trend was going towards mold and fungus.
HomeSpaGoddess Says:
Hey BeautyBrains,
Fake or not that picture is beyond words. Thanks Moxie for the link. I’ve been reading your blog for a while and your pics are usually funny and wacky, not visibly disturbing. My skin is crawling….ugh!
I’m gonna be skeeved out for the rest of the day. But I will remember to apply sunscreen to my hands and not use the UV lights in salons.
A few weeks ago I was in a salon that had a nail text book on the table. There were pics in there that showed how the fingernails are removed when there is cancer of the nail.
A pic of that would have been perfect for this post.
Please, no more pics like this. Ever. I love your blog:)
Sun Says:
Strange enough, it was the picture that got me interested in reading the article (I don’t go to nail salons). Most of the pictures on this site make me go “Bah? I shall read this to resolve my confusion and curiosity!” And so, I would appreciate more pics such as this. I mean, the pictures will be forgotten about in a short time (even if you are so disturbed it haunts you for, say, a day); so why not post the most interesting?
Lucky Says:
The article was informative. I’m curious as to which polishes will work with the drying lamps but I won’t ask ;D
As for the pic, ewww, ewww, ewww. It’s not sickening enough for me to stop reading the Beauty Brains, but ewww nontheless.
I can’t believe that someone is so sensitive they’re going to give up the BB because of a photoshopped pic….wow!
Lynda Says:
The picture is not really the subject here. It’s about UV lights. If you wanted to wierd someone out find a picture of someone with age spots. I do clients that have them really bad. I am not sure that puting sunblock on will prevent this from happening but it may reduce it to some degree.
Ponytails Hair Design
ab Says:
that picture disgusts me as well. honestly, it looks like plantars warts that have been ripped out, though (and i know what that looks like from my own personal experience).
ab Says:
not saying that’s what it is - but that is what it looks like.
Tee Says:
I am repulsed by that photo. I was happy to see something on nail salons, but got a great shock seeing that photo. I nearly vomited on my laptop. I wont be looking on this site ny longer. I do not like disgusting surprises.
Sandra Says:
OH DEAR LORDY, those fingers!
Hanna Says:
Oh My God, Beauty Brains, please please please refrain from posting these extremely disturbing pictures, it really makes me want to chop my hand off. Disgusting is what it is, not entertaining nor remotely amusing. God, I will always have this picture in mind, what have you done?!
MoxieHart Says:
OmG, this is getting ridiculous.
They’re just lamprey mouths. It looks disturbing but it’s not real.
And lampreys are considered delicacies. *Backs away from the anti-Wiki elitists*
Lucia Mancuso Says:
LOL - I can’t stop laughing at how disturbed this picture makes people - It didn’t effect me at all and I’m certainly not going to stop reading anything informative because of a gross picture.
Anyhow
I have been to many a many nail salons and most of them used UV lights. I know when I get fake nails that the light was needed to harden the acrylic (I believe it is acrylic) but I’ve been scammed one to many times at so may nail bars that now I just go for the sake of cleaning my nails and I color them myself.
It’s amazing how many places say they use acrylic top coats but when you look at the product they don’t. I went to a place for acrylic nails and soon figured out that they don’t use the correct product but then put a little acrylic top coat on top and claim it to be acrylic nails. Needless to say - it totally ruined my nails and I’m still in nail care recovery.
From my experience getting nails done at a spa is much better and safer than at a nail salon. I’m always investigating things and I find that many nail salons use false claims - I’m not saying they all do - but too many to take the risk for me.
Happy Polishing Everyone
Melody Says:
Ok, it’s just too gross, and I’m not that squeamish. I like to leave the ‘horror-shopped’ pix for the sci-fi teenage boys. I know what pix was and I wasn’t expecting to see 15 year old humor here. Can’t there be anyplace for grownups?
GetLucy Says:
So…Melody….you’ve already said that you were going to stop reading… but now, the publication (that you threatened to leave)…is supposed to help you find another one..? You’re kidding, right?
Melody Says:
GetLucy,
I left….I got your message by email. I haven’t missed the site at all.
Lynnette Says:
Lucia,
You said you have been to many nail salons. What you described is not a salon but a SHOP. There is a difference. I have a nail salon. CLEAN and SAFE to patronize. If you choose to go to the chop shops aka discount shops, you leave yourself open for LIES about what products they use.
I have written on this site about this before. *Those* type places use a chemical called MMA for their artificial nails. There is NO need to use a UV to cure it. Also know this–MMA IS BANNED FOR USE ON NAILS BY THE FDA. ALL the chop shops use MMA. Ever wonder why the product does not come off the nails? It is like cement. If you break it, 99% of the time you will lose your own nail. There is NO solvent for MMA. Why do they rip the nails off with nippers?
If you need to let your nails recover, you went to one of those places. If you came to my salon, I would not use the DREMEL to shred your nails to pieces just to get the product to stick.
Anyone who goes to one of those places is leaving themselves open for infections from the dirty practices rampant in ALL of them.
AND— mold does not grow on the living human body. The green that some get on their nails is NOT mold. Any tech who still uses that term has not kept up with their education. Fungus grows UNDER the nails and is whitish/yellowish. The green is a pseudonoma.
Go to my website and look for the links on “What is on Your Nails?”
I have photos of what the MMA does to the nails on that site.
Thanks BB for a great site!
Lynnette
Wombat Queen™ Says:
Having given birth(after 18 hours in labor and a C-section), a dinky picture of weird-looking nails is the last thing that’s going to bother me-at all.
And I take umbrage on casting aspersions to “15 year old humor”. Ain’t nuthin wrong with humor-no matter what age. *Somebody* needs a stickectomy-STAT!
Teacher Says:
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I have known this for years (that the Uv light was not working to dry my poish any faster). I would tell the nail techs this and they would think that I was crazy! I have started going to another nail salon and they have dryers that are table top and you stick your hands underneatn/into it. You have the options of cool, warm and uv. The warm setting works much better for me than the uv light ever did!
Lynnette Says:
Teacher,
The UV is not supposed to dry the nails faster. It is a different type of top coat. If it is truly a UV top coat, it needs the UV light.
A salon that is a good salon will know the difference and use what is right for the client.
If you patronize one of the deep discount/chop shops, you never know what they are going to tell you.
UV is best used on natural nails and ANY french polish to prevent yellowing.
Teacher Says:
Thanks, Lynnette! I have natural nails, so that is good to know. How about just plain old heat? Like I said before, my nails seemed to dry faster under the heat. Do I need to look for any particular INGREDIENT in the nail polish to see if I should use the UV light or not? I honestly do not think that I was getting a UV top coat, because it would take forever for my nails to dry under the UV light. And should I care if a UV top coat is used versus a non-UV coat? What is the benefit, if any, to using one or the other? Thanks!
Both UVA & UVB cause Skin Cancer? - Salon Geek Says:
[...] always do it anyway. Are the levels of UVA omitted comparable to the sun bed? Just found this:thebeautybrains.com ? Blog Archive ? Don’t Get Ripped Off By Your Nail Salon You could always find a hand cream with sun protection. Last edited by weezie : Today at [...]
jadyn Says:
eww thats gross and thats not what happens to ur fingers so who gives a hell!!
charmaine tale Says:
ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!thats disgusting
Jackie Says:
You people are complete idiots. Stop flipping shit about the picture… If you click it, the picture enlarges. And you can clearly see it was a joke. It isn’t finger nails. Imbeciles.
sara brady Says:
If we were to start up a nail salon what would you recommend for drying nails (other than using the UV lamps, obviously from this article they are not the way to go)?
ambar Says:
the picture has nothing to do with UV lamps it is a joke someone did by adding the mouth of an sea lamprey to a pic of their nails it disgusting i know but if you use the pic. as a fact not to us UV lamps then you are totally wrong
Alan Says:
there are new products which you can spray on your nails after they are finished to make them dry faster and they really do work!!
Naru Says:
My Friend´s father whos a docotor, saw rhe pic and said. its true. cancer can make ur skin fall or atleast the area inffected. like a breast cancer, if it doesnt get the therapys, the own cancer will grow and inffect all the breast and in the end, it will fall just like that. search on google for a breast cancer and theres a pic of a woman that didnt wanted the therapy. and thats not a photoshop pic!
michelle Says:
i enlarged that pic and laughed my head off! lol gives me the willys. ASK YOURE NAIL SALON TO SEE THE LABEL MOST TOP COATS WILL SAY IF THEY ARE UV OR NOT. THEY PUT YOU UNDER THE LAMP SO YOU WILL SIT STILL BECAUSE PEOPLE MOVE AROUND ALOT AND FUDGE UP THEIR POLISH
Broquelyn Says:
omg. what is up with those fingers? that is disgusting. is that what the inside of my finger looks like? gross.
GetLucy Says:
I just cant get enough of the folks who keep commenting on that picture. Im getting a kick out of it, but enough’s enough already.
C’mon folks. Be a little more observant. If you look at the picture, those little things are photoshopped on the UNDERSIDE of her fingers. You can clearly see fingerprints, a bend crease, and the most tell-tale of all: her nails on the opposite side.
anonymous Says:
That picture is disgusting, what the heck. I can’t even eat after seeing that.
Smokey cheese bear Says:
EWWWWWWWW iam never going to the salon again D:|
JOYCE Says:
Dear Sirs and Madams,
Greetings.
This is Joyce from 3D Acrylic Nail Mould manufacturer in Taiwan.
To retail or distribute this unique product with worldwide invention patent
as attached http://3d-nails.com/left_productsAcrylic.html
might help your nail & spa business with an extra income !
Regards,
Joyce