Gel nail polish can damage DNA, study finds

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A new study finds that radiation from nail dryers can damage DNA and cause cancer-causing mutations in human cells.

Some dermatologists described their findings as follows: Research published Jan. 17 In the journal Nature Communications, this is nothing new. Ultraviolet from any source, or concerns about UV light. In fact, the results reaffirm why some dermatologists have changed how they get gel nail polish, or stopped getting it altogether.

said Dr. Julia Curtis, assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Utah. , was not involved in her research.

“Tanning beds are listed as carcinogenic, and UV nail lamps are little tanning beds for nails to cure gel nails,” Curtis said.

Ultraviolet light, a type of electromagnetic radiation, has wavelengths ranging from 10 to 400 nanometers. UCAR Science Education Center.

The ultraviolet A light (315-400 nanometers) found in sunlight penetrates deep into the skin and is commonly used in UV nail dryers that have become popular over the last decade. Tanning beds use 280 to 400 nanometers, while the spectrum used by nail dryers is 340 to 395 nanometers. news release for research.

“Looking at the way these devices are presented, they are advertised as safe and there is nothing to worry about,” said corresponding author Rudmir Aleksandrov in a news release. “But to our knowledge, no one has ever actually studied these devices and how they affect human cells at the molecular and cellular level,” Aleksandrov said. He holds a dual title as Associate Professor of Biotechnology and Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of California, San Diego.

Researchers exposed human and mouse cells to UV light and found that 20% to 30% of the cells died in a 20-minute session. After three consecutive 20-minute exposures, he killed 65% to 70% of the exposed cells. The remaining cells suffered mitochondrial and DNA damage, resulting in the pattern of mutations observed in human skin cancer.

The biggest limitation of the study is that exposing cell lines to UV light is different from working with living humans or animals, says dermatologist and founder of the Russak Dermatology Clinic in New York City. Physician Julie Russak, Ph.D. Russak was not involved in her research.

“When you’re doing it (irradiating) in a human hand, there’s definitely a difference,” Russak said. “Most of the UV radiation is absorbed by the top layer of the skin. It’s a little different when you’re irradiating directly onto the cells in the petri dish. There’s no protection from the skin, the corneocytes, or the top layer. Also, very direct UVA. It is also radiation.”

But the study, along with previous evidence, such as a case report of people who developed squamous cell carcinoma, the second most common skin cancer associated with UVA dryers, is an associate professor of dermatology, Dr. Shari Lipner, director of the nail department at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, said: Lipner was not involved in this study.

If you’re curious about gel manicures but don’t want to give up, there are some precautions you can take to reduce your risk.

“Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen containing zinc and titanium around your nails, and wear UV gloves with fingertips cut off when you’re healing your nails,” said Curtis, who hasn’t gotten a gel manicure. “We recommend alternatives to gel nails, such as new wraps available online.” (Gel nail wraps or strips are adhesive gel nail products that don’t always need to be set with a UV nail dryer.)

Some salons use LED lights, which “are believed to emit no or much less UV light,” Lipner said.

Lipner gets a regular manicure that usually lasts seven to 10 days, but not to avoid UV rays. That’s because she doesn’t like thinning her nails by soaking them in the acetone found in gel nail polish.

“Regular nail polishes are just left to dry in the air,” she added. I can.”

If you get gel nail polish on a regular basis, Lipner recommends seeing a certified dermatologist who can examine your skin for signs of skin cancer and treat it before it becomes a serious problem. UV rays can also age skin, which can appear as black spots and wrinkles, she said.

Lipner says there isn’t enough data for experts to consider how often you can use gel nail polish without risking it. But Curtis recommends saving them for special occasions. Did.

Russak doesn’t use gel nail polish often, but when she does, she wears sunscreen and gloves. Pre-applying an antioxidant-rich serum, such as vitamin C, may also help, she added.

“As a dermatologist, I change gloves maybe three or four times on just one patient. With a normal manicure, after three or four glove changes, the nail polish is gone,” Russak adds. I was. “Gel manicures definitely last longer, but is it worth the risk of photoaging and skin cancer? Probably not.

Experts say people who have a history of skin cancer or who are prone to hypersensitivity due to pale skin, albinism, medications, or immunosuppression should seek prevention. We need to be more careful when taking action. However, whether you’re at high risk or not, CNN’s dermatologist cautioned.

“Unfortunately, we recommend avoiding these dryers completely, as they cannot provide complete protection,” says Zeichner.