I get a gel manicure almost every three weeks. I’m really good about wearing sunscreen to protect my skin when I’m outside, but what about the lamps at my nail salon? Are the LED lamps safer? Should I be wearing those fingerless UV gloves? Please advise!
As someone who also gets frequent gel manicures, I was eager to get to the bottom of your questions (for your sake and mine). Before we get into the nitty-gritty, I think it’s essential to understand how gel polish and curing lamps actually work. I spoke to Dr. Noëlle S. Sherber, a board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of Sherber + Rad, who says UV wavelengths of light are used to cure gel nail polish, which causes it to harden and adhere to the nail.