A slew of studies have refuted the supposed safety of nail lamps.
Most damning is this particular doozy of a paper titled thusly: “Occurrence of non-melanoma skin cancers on the hands after UV nail light exposure.” ‘Nuff said, really.
Of course, this needn’t be the final nail in the coffin for your weekly mani and pedi. Presenting some “handy” tips for salon safety:
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If you know you’ll be rocking gel extensions, always prep by slathering on a high SPF body cream – and this is best practice for everyone, nail art addict or otherwise.
Product recommendation-wise, my current obsession is Shiseido’s superb Perfect UV Protector (pictured below), a lush lotion with a fine finish that’s also amped up with a very impressive SPF50 PA++++ rating.
#BeautyTip: This multi-purpose marvel of a product’s perfect for the face as well; I like dotting and blending it along my cheekbones in lieu of loose powder whenever I’m gunning for a matte-but-not-flat look.
In the interest of balanced beauty reporting, I asked nail technician Fan Wenqing of SoQ Nails for a “firsthand” account of this industry fracas (I’m having way too much fun with these puns).
Her advice? Do your research and call “beforehand” to make sure your manicurists are using innocuous implements, such as good old-fashioned fans or LED lights. Besides, as Wenqing points out, most Singapore salons have replaced “obsolete UV lamps” with LED ones.
Oh, and here’s a gossipy little tidbit. Wenqing, who just happens to be the sister of Fann Woon Fong (yes, that Fann), tells me that her preggers superstar sibling has sworn off all nail art for now: “She plays it very, very safe.” Yet another reason to be inspired by the impossibly perfect Caldecott Hill icon, fellow mothers-to-be!
The ultra-hard acrylic veneers can cut off oxygen supply to your nail bed if you’re wearing them 365 days a year,” notes Gene Ho, managing director of CADO Asia Pacific, a Singapore-based beauty research laboratory. “Laying off the faux fingernails will allow your cuticles to rest and rejuvenate.”
Can’t bear going bare? Use regular over-the-counter bottles of polish during your self-imposed lull period.
There’s no shame in being safe, so always scrutinise the stuff your technicians are potentially tainting you with. Even better, do your own shopping and tote along bottles from tried-and-tested brands that bill themselves as being free of beauty baddies like toluene and formaldehyde; refresh your memory with my primer on poisons in your polish.
Bottom line? Slather on generous globs of heavy-duty sunscreen on your hands and remember to read the labels whenever you’re at the salon, but go right ahead and live a little. Follow the above rules and you’ll be in safe hands, so to speak – with a killer set of talons to boot!
Text: Eugene Quek/HerWorldPlus