Just Say No… To The Nail Dryer At The Nail Salon
Published on June 12, 2010 by admin · 11 CommentsWith animals to save and babies to feed.. who has the time to sit around waiting for our nails to dry while at the nail salon? With a spritz of nail hardener and a five minute session of the hand dryer – we’re out the door, freshly manicured without a care in the world.
Until, dermatologist Dr. Neal Schultz enlightened us that the hand dryers we once relied on can actually be as dangerous as a tanning bed? Oops.
Say no to UV Dryers
The very popular “express” drying method that nail salons and spas are using dries nails quickly by capitalizing on UV (ultraviolet) rays. You have heard many, many times how dangerous exposing yourself without protection to UV rays can be. Studies back this claim up and now researchers are linking the UV nail driers to the rise in the number of cases of skin cancer on the fingers.
Fan powered dryers are safe to use.
Unless the manicurist plans on lathering your hands with SPF during that hand massage, Dr. Schultz recommends you to steer clear: “reports of unusual numbers of skin cancers on the fingers of frequent users are compelling reasons to avoid them until controlled peer review studies can demonstrate safe parameters for their use (if they even exist). So the next time you’re provided with the UV drying option, like when it comes to tanning beds, just say no.”
Tags: are uv nail dryers dangerous?, dangerous uv nail dryer, dermatologist Dr. Neal Schultz, Dr. Neal Schultz, Dr. Schultz, Eco Manicure, Green Manicure, green nail salon, vegan manicure
Readers Comments (11)
…or just skip the nail salon all together and spare yourself from breathing in noxious fumes and slathering your nails and skin with toxic chemicals: http://bit.ly/a9z9Bc
There are some nail polishes that do away with the main usual nasties (toluene, formaldehyde, & DP) like Nubar (www.bynubar.com)- also vegan & cruelty-free (PETA approved), and PeaceKeeper (http://bit.ly/16YFql)- not tested on animals but they use carmine (crushed beetles) as coloring in many of their polishes. There are also many water-based natural polishes on the market that are nontoxic, too. Why suffer at all in a toxic salon when you can just DIY and be healthier for it?
Agreed April. I haven’t gotten a manicure in about a year.. and then it was at an eco place. But for those who do.. we have actually written numerous articles about eco and green and vegan polishes. Use our search engine to check em out.
I agree with April! I can’t even walk in those nail salons without gagging. Last time I had a pedicure, I removed the polish after a couple of weeks myself at home. My toenails were all yellow and unhappy – never again. I think naked feet are sexy…
clean, of course!
or you can what i do, skip the mani/pedi, do your own, and use that money to make a donation to a rescue to help save an animal on the kill list, of course my nails look like shit, but my rescued doggies still love me the same! ;-)
I haven’t had a professional mani/pedi in years. It’s disgusting really. Using the same tools on multiple people. Sorry, but I don’t wanna share a pumice stone with my own mother let alone some random woman with head to toe eczema (my last experience at the salon where I ran out before my appointment even started).
But yes, I’ve never used that UV thing because I always thought, isn’t this like a mini tanning booth for your hands? Can’t be good.
Another great, vegan and enviro-friendly nail polish is Spa-Ritual. It’s very similar to OPI (doesn’t last as long) but great color selection!
Wow! I never knew this! Definitely will skip the nail dryer next time. Thanks! Lovin’ your blog! Just added it to our blog roll @ WholesomeChow.wordpress.com.
Hello, I am a licensed professional nail technician with several years of experience doing gel nails that require a UV light to harden the product. Please read the link to a study that was just recently released. Your information is not accurate and the information from some dermatologist is not accurate either.
Here is a basic overview of was what discovered about UV nail lights at a independent testing laboratory.
http://www.lightelegance.com/pdf/UVNailLights.pdf
FACTS that PROVE UV nail lights are SAFE for use by the general public…
There have been a multitude of reports that have been publicized lately that target UV light being used in the salons to cure UV gels. These reports have many of the chemists in our industry outraged and we want to share the facts with you. Doug Schoon, Paul Bryson and I have collaborated with numerous chemists in the industry and have had an independent testing laboratory evaluate two different UV light units that encompass a majority of the light units being used today in nail salons. Here is a summation of what was discovered:
UV nail lights have not been proven to cause skin damage, skin cancer nor any other type of harm to a person betting UV nail services performed in a salon. The use of UV nail lights should be limited to curing UV gel nail products.
Less UVB light is being emitted from the UV nail lights than is found in the morning sunlight in Arizona during the month of July. This means that if a client’s hand is inside the UV light unit for 10 minutes, she is receiving less UVB light than she would if she spent 10 minutes outside during an Arizona morning.
UV Nail lamps are specifically designed to filter out UVB light.
The amount of UVA light being emitted from the nail lights is roughly equivalent to spending an additional 1.5 to 2.7 minutes of sunlight per day (or a 20 minute lunch outside per week).
The original report from the two dermatologists (MacFarlane and Alonso) was based on incorrect assumptions, which lead to faulty conclusions they were wrong. This original report is what has caused this rash of bad reporting by media moguls like ABC, NBC, FOX News, webMD, NY Times, Dr. Neil Schultz, Cosmopolitan Magazine and more.
acrylic nail polish are the best stuff that you can use when polishing your nails.`,
i frequent hair salons because i always want to keep my hair in top shape `~;
nail polish that are acrylic based seems to last longer on my finger nails compared to water based ones :;’
I must admit, I’m not aware about this things. I have no idea what dryer they’re using. Because of this post, it makes conscious and aware. Thanks.