New gel nail manicure could post health danger
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Posted 2:01 PM 3/28/2012 : New gel nail manicure could pose health danger
(NBC) - Any woman who's ever had a traditional manicure knows that it will not last long, but new treatments promise that polish will last two weeks or longer.
Gel polish manicures are hot right now.
It's a process that requires 4 or 5 coats of polish and the secret is curing each coat under a UV light to a rock hard finish that last and lasts.
Dr. Paul Martinelli from the Texas Skin Surgery Center says it's hard to quantify the risk of skin cancer from being exposed to the same light source used in tanning beds.
UVA can also cause the skin to prematurely age.
Dr. Martinelli says if women are going to get the manicures to use a broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or greater and cut the exposure time as much as possible.
At the Crescent Spa in Dallas, Texas, they use special LED lights that cure in a minute and a half rather than 10 to 12 minutes like traditional UV lights.
And with the quicker drying time, technicians can finish off appointments with a little extra pampering.
