Nail-polish dryers may pose health concern

Nail-polish dryers may pose health concern


They’re a ubiquitous presence in nail salons: Those little nail-polish dryers that cure and speed up gel manicures. But their ultraviolet lights may also pose more of a public health threat than originally thought.

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego who studied the devices have concluded they can contribute to cancer-causing mutations and cell death.

Unlike the ultraviolet lights used in tanning beds — which have been shown to be carcinogenic — nail driers use a different spectrum of UV light. Those effects haven’t been widely studied.

Using two types of human skin cells and one from mouse embryos, the researchers determined the UV light exposure from a 20-minute session led to death in 20% to 30% of cells. Three consecutive sessions led to the death of 65% to 70% of exposed cells. It also damaged the remaining cells and resulted in genetic mutation patterns similar to those found in human skin cancer.

The researchers also noticed other troubling issues: The damaged genetic material — specifically DNA — does not get repaired over time. Mutations also occur after every exposure to a UV nail-polish dryer. And UV light may cause dysfunction within mitochondria [MY-toh-KON-dree-uh], the “powerhouses” that make energy for many cells in the body.

While the study results showed that consistent use of nail-polish dryers damages human cells, the researchers also noted that a long-term epidemiological study is needed to conclusively determine that the machines lead to an increased risk of skin cancers.

In the salon, there’s always a slower option for those concerned about UV rays: waiting around for your nails to air dry.

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