Gel nail polish is great for people who have to wash their hands a lot. Many times professionals who deal with this do not even attempt to get regular manicures, because they won’t last the week. Now with gel polishes this changes the game for those dealing with high hand washing protocol and the way beauty fits into it. It is so much better than the damaging acrylics. The gel even lasted around 3 weeks!
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When several professional women were interviewed the same primary concerns surfaced all within 6 weeks of using gel polish. The main one being the methyl used in the polish itself. This is known to cause allergic reactions in many people called dermatitis. If you or anyone you have known has had dermatitis then you are fully aware at how painful this potentially scarring disease can be. It can even lead to amputations in the most severe cases that turn infectious. This is however very rare.
Keep in mind that if a dermatitis rash appears we are forever unconsciously touching our eyes, our children, our patients, etc. If caught early enough this will be a very minimal but uncomfortable rash treatable with cortisone cream.
Also found in many gel nail polishes is BHA. This is known to cause cancer, and the amount of exposure needed to present complications is still unknown. While it may not be enough to really cause the illness, it is important that consumers be made aware of the potential dangers this ingredient can be capable of bringing upon them.
When using gel polish it is typically set using an ultraviolet light. This means that the polish is more or less baked into the nail bed. This means the exposure is similar to UV sun rays which are also known to cause skin cancer. If you are going once a week or once every 2 weeks and sitting up to 8 minutes then your exposure levels are pretty significant. You can use a sunblock of about a spf30 for added protection or get with someone who uses LED as opposed to UV lighting to set the polish.
Removal is something else to think about. This is done through acetone wraps or soaks. This causes severely brittle nails, and this is especially true when it is done repetitively. You can combat this with a great keratin moisturizer used several times a day.
If you really want to maintain perfectly flawless and healthy nails then be strategic. Do not go once a week to get the gel nails done, but go instead when you need to. Use the sunblock and always use a great moisturizer. Also, ask them to file the nail bed only a little if at all. In a perfect world, keep “the works” to a special occasion only minimum. Your hands will look and feel better, and it may even contribute to better health at the end of the day.
