COMING UP. WELL, A NEW STUDY COULD CAUSE YOU TO RETHINK GETTING YOUR NEXT MANICURE, PARTICULARLY A GEL MANICURE OR PEDICURE. YEAH, IT REQUIRES A UV LIGHT TO HARDEN THE POLISH. AND A NEW STUDY SHOWS THAT COULD BE CAUSE FOR CONCERN. DEBBIE, VICTIM 13 LISA CRANE JOINS US LIVE IN SHELBY COUNTY TO EXPLAIN. LISA. YEAH, THIS RECENT STUDY THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL NATURE COMMUNICATIONS HAS BEEN SHARED IN THIS QUITE A BIT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. IT BRINGS INTO QUESTION JUST HOW SAFE THOSE SMALL UV MACHINES ARE. THEY ARE BASICALLY SMALL TANNING BEDS AND GETTING THE SAME UV LIGHT THAT CONTAIN AND BURN OUR SKIN. SO COULD YOUR MANICURE GIVE YOU CANCER. AT NAILS OF GRAYSVILLE AND SHELBY COUNTY? THE OWNER SAYS IF SOMEONE COMES IN FOR A MANICURE 95% OF THE TIME THEY WANT A GEL MANICURE. YES, THEY’RE VERY, VERY POPULAR. THE TECHNICIAN PAINTS ON A GEL POLISH, THEN A UV LIGHT HARDENS IT IN ABOUT 30 SECONDS, MAKING IT A VERY CONVENIENT CHOICE BECAUSE IT DOESN’T TIP. THEY DON’T MESS UP THE JOURNEY. TIME IS JUST SO QUICK. THEY GET OUT THE DOOR AND THEY’RE ON WITH THEIR BUSINESS. THEY DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MESSING IT UP OR ANYTHING. BUT DOES THAT CONVENIENCE WORTH THE RISK? A RECENT STUDY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH IN CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO, FOUND CHRONIC USE OF THE UV MACHINES CAN ALTER DNA, CAUSING MUTATIONS IN CELLS THAT COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF SKIN CANCER. WE ASKED UAB DERMATOLOGIST LAUREN COLE ABOUT THE FINDINGS. SO WE DON’T KNOW KIND OF HOW THAT TRANSLATES TO ACTUAL HUMAN SKIN, BUT IT IS CONCERNING THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME CANCER CAUSING EFFECTS FROM USING THOSE LIGHTS. IF YOU CAN BRING SOME RESEARCH IN, SAY THAT IT IS THE THE BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, THE LIGHTS AND STUFF, THEN, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THE RESEARCHERS ALSO CAUTION MORE DATA IS NEEDED BEFORE A DIRECT LINK IS MADE. BUT DR. COLE SAYS CANCER ISN’T THE ONLY CONCERN. YOU’VE EXPOSURE TO UV EXPOSURE. THE SPECIFIC WAVELENGTHS THAT ARE EMITTED BY THESE DEVICES HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO CAUSE THE SKIN CHANGES THAT WE SEE WITH AGING. SO THINNING OF THE SKIN, THE LOSS OF COLLAGEN AND ELASTICITY, WORSENING PIGMENTATION, WRINKLES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. NOW, DR. COLE SAYS IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE USING THOSE UV MACHINES, THERE ARE SOME PRECAUTIONS YOU CAN TAKE IF YOU’RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE RISK, SHE SAYS. YOU CAN BUY UV PROTECTIVE GLOVES AND CUT OUT THE FINGERTIPS. THAT WILL PROTECT YOUR HAND FROM THOSE UV RAYS. AS YOU’RE USING THAT MACHINE. BUT SHE SAYS, DON’T FORGET YOUR NAIL BED WILL STILL BE EXPOSED ALIVE AND SHEL
Cancer concerns with gel manicures
New study finds UV lights used in gel manicures alter DNA
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Updated: 5:55 PM CST Jan 31, 2023
A new study could cause you to re-think getting your next manicure, particularly a gel manicure or pedicure. Those require an ultraviolet light to harden the polish, and a new study shows that could be cause for concern. The study was published in the journal "Nature Communications" and has been shared and discussed quite a bit on social media. It brings into question just how safe those small UV machines are. They're basically small tanning beds emitting the same UV light that can tan and burn our skin. So could your manicure give you cancer?At Nails of Grace Spa in Shelby County, the owner says if someone comes in for a manicure, 95% of the time, they want a gel manicure. According to Daniel Nguyen, “Yes, they’re very, very popular.” The technician paints on a gel polish, then a UV light hardens it in about 30 seconds, making it a very convenient choice. Nguyen says, “Because it doesn't chip, they don't mess up. The dry time is just so quick. They get out the door, and they're on with their business. They don't have to worry about messing it up or anything.”But is that convenience worth the risk? A recent study from the universities of Pittsburgh and California San Diego found chronic use of UV machines can alter DNA, causing mutations in cells that could increase the risk of skin cancer. We asked University of Alabama dermatologist Lauren Cole about the findings. Dr. Cole says, “We don't know kind of how that relates to actual like human skin, but it is concerning that there might be some cancer-causing effects from using those lights.”Nguyen says, “If you can bring some research and say that it is the cause of, you know, the lights and stuff, and you know, (then) I believe it.”The researchers also caution that more data is needed before a direct link is made. But Dr. Cole says cancer isn't the only concern. “UV exposure or UV-A exposure, the specific wavelengths that are emitted by these devices, have been shown to cause the skin changes that we see with aging. So, thinning of the skin, loss of collagen elasticity, worsening pigmentation, wrinkles, things like that.” Dr. Cole says if you want to continue using the UV machines but you're concerned about the risk, you can buy UV protective gloves, cut out the fingertips and wear those during the manicure. But your nail bed will still be exposed the UV light.
SHELBY COUNTY, Ala. — A new study could cause you to re-think getting your next manicure, particularly a gel manicure or pedicure. Those require an ultraviolet light to harden the polish, and a new study shows that could be cause for concern.
The study was published in the journal "Nature Communications" and has been shared and discussed quite a bit on social media. It brings into question just how safe those small UV machines are.
They're basically small tanning beds emitting the same UV light that can tan and burn our skin. So could your manicure give you cancer?
At Nails of Grace Spa in Shelby County, the owner says if someone comes in for a manicure, 95% of the time, they want a gel manicure. According to Daniel Nguyen, “Yes, they’re very, very popular.”
The technician paints on a gel polish, then a UV light hardens it in about 30 seconds, making it a very convenient choice. Nguyen says, “Because it doesn't chip, they don't mess up. The dry time is just so quick. They get out the door, and they're on with their business. They don't have to worry about messing it up or anything.”
But is that convenience worth the risk? A recent study from the universities of Pittsburgh and California San Diego found chronic use of UV machines can alter DNA, causing mutations in cells that could increase the risk of skin cancer. We asked University of Alabama dermatologist Lauren Cole about the findings.
Dr. Cole says, “We don't know kind of how that relates to actual like human skin, but it is concerning that there might be some cancer-causing effects from using those lights.”
Nguyen says, “If you can bring some research and say that it is the cause of, you know, the lights and stuff, and you know, (then) I believe it.”
The researchers also caution that more data is needed before a direct link is made. But Dr. Cole says cancer isn't the only concern. “UV exposure or UV-A exposure, the specific wavelengths that are emitted by these devices, have been shown to cause the skin changes that we see with aging. So, thinning of the skin, loss of collagen elasticity, worsening pigmentation, wrinkles, things like that.” Dr. Cole says if you want to continue using the UV machines but you're concerned about the risk, you can buy UV protective gloves, cut out the fingertips and wear those during the manicure. But your nail bed will still be exposed the UV light.
