Plastic surgery blog: Are gel manicures dangerous?

According to the Washington Post there may be a danger lurking with popular gel nails. Nail salons and beauty magazines are buzzing about gel manicures. Customers love them considering they dry essentially instantly, and shine like patent leather plus don’t chip for two weeks. Salons get to charge more than double the price of a customary manicure, and then have repeat commerce when the customer returns to have the polish removed. “Artificial UV light does magnify your exposure for developing skin cancer and for early aging of the skin” says Anna M Bender a dermatologist at Johns Hopkins University. So people could use a sunscreen to try to block the UV from their bordering skin. People should reach for a sunblock that contains zinc or titanium oxide rather than a typical sunscreen.  Those ingredients shield the skin from UVA rays, the kind emitted by nail lamps, albeit many sunscreens protect only against UVB light. “Even broad spectrum lotions may not overshadow the full UVA spectrum” Bender says. Halting a manicure to slap on sunblock would be exceptionally unusual behavior according to Lonnie Nguyen owner of Cleveland Park Day Spa and Toe Tally Nails in the District.  Not one of her clients at either business has ever stopped the procedure to apply sunblock for UV protection. In fact the only attention her customers have shown about gel manicures is the unbelief that they will not smudge. Skin care includes proper care of the hands. Many say that you can tell the age of a woman by looking at her hands. Dr. Kim reminds his patients that the same attention given to premature facial aging should extend to a womans hands. The overwhelming majority of patients pay attention to their nails by having regular manicures some of which include gel manicures. Patients should also be mindful of utilizing the same medical grade skin care treatment they use on their face on their hands. Dr. Kim may recommend light laser treatments to help maintain youthful looking hands. Patients who decide to have a facelift should automatically include antiaging products and procedures for their hands. Most would agree that it can be quite shocking when the face looks youthful and the hands look old. Dr. Kim is committed to recommending the best overall treatments for his patients.