4. UV is not light, but energy

In some articles you can read UV light. UV stands for ultraviolet, so we speak of ultraviolet light. But in principle this is not correct. You can only speak of light if you can see it with the naked eye. UV is not visible, so we have to speak of energy. In this blog you will therefore only read UV.

In order to observe the effects on humans and the environment, a distinction is made between UV-A, AV-B and UV-C. UV-A is ultraviolet radiation with long waves (315 – 400nm), UV-B are wavelengths of 280 – 315nm and UV-C is short-wave radiation (100 – 280nm). Natural sunlight consists of about 95% UV-A and about 5% UV-B. UV-C is blocked by the atmosphere.

You now know what ultraviolet radiation is, but is it dangerous to your health? The answer to this is yes and no. When you get too large doses of UV on your skin, skin aging occurs and the chance of developing skin cancer is greatly increased. But you also need this radiation in small doses to form vitamin D.

Nail lamps only use UV-A, so no UV-B or UV-C. In addition, all wavelengths that are of most concern to scientists are also filtered out. You can also use UV nail lamps not compare with sunbed radiation . A sunbed also uses UV-B. In addition, you are exposed to UV radiation much longer with a sunbed.

5. The influence of a UV nail lamp on your health

5.1 Past research

In the past, it was announced that UV lamps for your nails are harmful to your health. For example, the media reported several times that a nail lamp greatly increases the risk of skin cancer. In 2009, the media reports were based on a claim by two dermatologists from Texas (MacFlare and Alonso1). Due to their lack of knowledge about UV lamps, the light from a UV nail lamp was compared to the same wattage of a sunbed. However, the emitted UV wavelengths and the exposure time were not taken into account. Both factors are crucial to make a correct assessment of the effects of a nail lamp. After this incorrect announcement, the media began a long and hard attack on nail salons, which to this day still has a negative impact on the sector.

In early 2023, a new study was published by the magazine Nature online that puts the nail lamp in a negative light. In the study in question, two types of human cells were used: keratinocytes and fibroblasts. Keratinocytes are the cells that form the epidermis, also known as the outer layer of the skin. Fibroblasts, on the other hand, are the cells that are located in the connective tissue, or the second layer of the skin, and are responsible for the production of collagen. This makes them essential for maintaining the firmness of the skin.

Mouse cells were also used in the study. The three different cell types were exposed to UV in petri dishes. In the first part of the study, the cells were exposed to UV from the lamp for 20 minutes, followed by an interval of one hour and then placed under the lamp for another 20 minutes. In the second experiment, the cells were exposed to UV for 20 minutes each day for three consecutive days. This study shows that a noticeable cell death has been established. Proteins in your body can repair this damage, in one person this happens faster than in another.

What can we conclude from this? The study only shows what long-term exposure has on your skin. The conditions are therefore not representative of the situation in a nail salon. The tests were conducted under laboratory conditions, where the skin exposure to the UV radiation of the lamp was measured after twenty minutes of exposure, followed by another twenty minutes after an hour. This differs significantly from the typical exposure of a client in a nail salon, where the exposure lasts only a few minutes and takes place in an interval of three to four weeks.

5.2 Are nail lamps dangerous to your health?

Following the claims of the two dermatologists, a study was started in 2010 by Schoon Doug, an internationally recognized scientist in the cosmetic world. This study showed that the UV nail lamps emit low and safe amounts of UV. In this study, a broadband meter was used to measure the UVA and UVB in order to calculate the UV dose that a nail lamp user receives.

In 2012, a study was conducted by Brian Diffey, Thomas Ruenger, Irene Kochevar, Eri Verter, and the Wellman Center for Photomedicine. This study compared UV nail lamps to light therapy used in dermatology. The study found that it would take over 250 years of weekly UV nail sessions to experience the same risk exposure.

In 2013, a new study was conducted. This time it was led by Dr. John Dowdy and Dr. Robert Sayre, two independent experts in UV and skin exposure. The study was conducted using the internationally recognized measurement standard for UV (ANSI RP-27). The study noted the following remarkable points:

• The nail plate has a natural UV protection comparable to an SPF 40 sunscreen.
• The back of the hand is the most UV resistant part of your entire body.
• The UV lamps of a nail lamp cannot be compared to the lamps of a tanning bed.
• All tested lamps (UV lamp and UV LED lamp) are safer than initially expected.
• With normal use of a UV nail lamp, it is highly unlikely that anyone would become overexposed to UV, even the most dedicated nail salon client.

Another study comes from 2013 and was conducted by the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University. In this study, 17 different light sources from 16 different salons were examined. It was found that the UV-A exposure is low. Even after multiple exposures, the chance of developing carcinogenesis remains small.

In 2017 the FDA stated (Food and Medical Safety Agency in the United States) that UV nail lamps pose a low risk to your health when used correctly. In addition, to date, no cases have been reported to the FDA that are linked to the use of a nail lamp.

From these studies we can conclude that UV nail lamps do not pose a major health risk to the user. The chance of any implications is extremely low, as long as you are not exposed to them excessively. Keep in mind that you always purchase branded lamps that are recommended by the manufacturer of your nail products. This way you can be sure that your products harden correctly and that the lamp is built according to European guidelines. Buying an unbranded product can be dangerous, because these devices are often not European approved. These lamps often contain the wrong UV types as well as the wrong wavelengths. The research results are not valid for these devices. In addition, you must always order the original UV replacement lamp. Installing another one can cause the lamp to emit dangerous UV-B and UV-C.

5.3 Provide customers with extra protection against UV

Most women are not worried about using a UV nail lamp, but sometimes you can have people who are rather suspicious about it. For these customers, you can rub their hands with an SPF 15 or higher. We rather recommend using UV-protective gloves with the tips cut off. If sunscreen remains on your nails, this can cause lifting of the artificial nail. By taking these precautions, the chance of carcinogenesis and skin aging is greatly reduced. Extra vigilance for UV is certainly recommended for people who are sensitive to UV (certain medications, cancer, ...). These people have already received a warning from their medical manager that they must protect themselves from natural sunlight.

6. The lifespan of a UV lamp

The lifespan of a UV nail lamp depends on various factors, such as the model, the type of lamp, its condition and how often you use it. In general, we see 3000-50,000 burning hours on the labels of a nail lamp. A big difference, but in reality, for a nail salon that uses it daily, you can expect an LED lamp to need replacing after 2-3 years. With regular UV lamps, where the tube lamps can be replaced, we are talking about a few months. These lamps lose their power much faster than an LED lamp. For this reason, these lamps in a standard UV nail lamp are always replaceable.

It is also important to keep your lamp clean. Over time, gel polish can build up inside your lamp from customers messing with the inside of your lamp. This mainly causes problems if it covers your LEDs or tube lamp.

Are you noticing that you are starting to have problems with your artificial nails without having this in the past? Is this happening more and more often? Have you ruled out all other causes? Then it is good to check whether your lamp is still fully curing the nail products as it should.

7. How do you choose a suitable nail lamp?

If you want to buy a nail lamp, it is important to know what to look for. There are many different types of nail lamps on the market, with different characteristics and properties. Below we have listed a number of things that can help you make the right choice:

• Number of LEDs: The number of LEDs in the lamp also determines the quality of the curing. In general, the more LEDs, the more surface is well illuminated, the better the quality.
• Removable ground: For pedicures it is useful to have a nail lamp with a removable base, so that you can easily use the lamp when caring for the feet. It is also useful to clean your nail lamp thoroughly.
• Mirror ground: A lamp with a mirror base provides curing on the sides of the nails, which contributes to better curing, especially when curing the thumb.
• Wattage: You often hear some nail stylists say, my lamp is 80W, so it can't be anything but a powerful lamp! This is also a misunderstanding in the nail world. The wattage has little to do with the quality of the lamp. It only says how much energy your lamp uses. For example, if there is a fan in your lamp, your wattage will automatically be higher, because this also uses energy. So always take into account the previously listed points and not so much the Wattage of a lamp.
• Battery: Consider whether you want a nail lamp with battery or with a cord. A lamp with battery is handy if you don't want cables everywhere.
• Mobile, does it need a handle: If you want to take the lamp with you often, it is useful to choose a mobile lamp. Consider whether you want a lamp with a handle or without. A handle makes it easy to move the lamp
• Where do you put the lamp: When buying a nail lamp, it is essential to think about the correct placement of it. It is very important that you can easily reach and operate the lamp. A handy tip is to make sure that the control buttons of the lamp are well positioned, depending on where you want to place it in your nail salon.
• Shape of the entrance for thumb: It is important to make sure that the base of the nail lamp does not stick out too much so that your thumb can be placed correctly in the lamp. If the base sticks out too much, your thumbs may not cure properly and your artificial nails may not cure evenly.