How Bad Are Manicures When It Comes to Nail Health? We Asked Derms

Whether you never miss your bi-weekly gel mani appointment or only pop into the salon a couple of times a year for a standard polish, there's a good chance that at some point, you've found yourself wondering: Is this manicure going to damage my nails?

As with many things, the answer is a bit of a mixed bag. There are risks involved, but with the right precautions you can make your manicure experience a bit safer. Keep reading to learn more about the ins and outs of manicure safety, with important information shared by board-certified dermatologists Connie Yang, MD, FAAD, and Dana Stern, MD.

Meet the Experts

• Connie Yang, MD, FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist at PFRANKMD.

• Dana Stern, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Dr. Dana.
  

Are Traditional Manicures Bad for You?

When you head to the salon for a manicure, there are a few risks involved. Let's start with the ingredients. "Some common contact allergens found in nail polish include tosylamide/formaldehyde resin, dibutyl phthalate, toluene, and triphenyl phosphate," Yang says. A contact allergy can present with swelling, redness, or irritated skin around your nail. But that's not all: "It can interestingly also present as a rash on the eyelids, as this is the thinnest skin on the body and people are often unknowingly touching their face," she explains.

Other times, problems can occur due to your nail technician's technique. If you've ever found yourself wincing in pain during a manicure, you can probably relate to this one. "Overly aggressive manicure practices such as cuticle removal or pushing back with force at the cuticle with a metal tool or use of an electric file can damage the cuticle and the nail matrix, which is the nail producing center of the nail," Stern says.

Let's not forget nail polish removal, which can also cause problems. This is especially true if the polish remover contains acetone, which can dry or dehydrate your nails or the surrounding skin. As a result, you may experience weak or brittle nails and dry, irritated skin, Stern says. She suggests opting for an acetone-free nail polish remover, preferably one formulated with hydrating ingredients that are good for your nails.

What About Gel Manicures?

Curious if gel manicures are bad for you? Let's dig in.

The Removal Process

As with traditional manicures, removing gel manicures can damage your nails. Removing gel manicures involves soaking your fingernails in acetone for a prolonged period. The process can strip the top layer of your nail, dry out your cuticle, and thin your nails. Your nails can also be damaged due to aggressive scraping or the use of an electric file, which can thin your nail plate.

UV Exposure

Sealing in a gel manicure requires curing your nails under a UV (or LED) lamp. UV exposure can contribute to photoaging, wherein the skin ages prematurely. There's also a potential increased risk for skin cancer. "Unprotected exposure to UVA and UVB damages the DNA in skin cells and produces genetic defects called mutations that can lead to skin cancer and premature aging, [such as] wrinkles, brown spots, uneven skin tone, skin laxity, and volume loss," Stern says.

That said, more research is needed to better understand the risks of UV exposure during gel manicures. Though there's a clear connection between UV radiation and increased skin cancer risk, Stern says it's tricky to study the specific risks related to gel manicures. This is because there's so much variability in the types of lamps used, exposure times, positioning of the skin relative to the light, skin type, and manicure frequency. "We do know that repeated exposure to UVA from sunlight or tanning machines is mutagenic and can cause skin cancer, [but] the question remains as to how much of a risk typical gel manicures pose," Stern says. "We definitely need more studies and ideally a prospective study where participants have frequent gel manicures and are followed over time."

How About Acrylic Manicures?

Acrylic manicures carry many of the same risks we've mentioned, including contact allergies and nail bed damage during application and removal. "The application process, if not done properly, can also damage the nail bed, leading to thinning, weakening, or even fungal infections," Yang says. "If moisture gets trapped between the acrylic nail and natural nail, it can create an environment conducive to bacterial and fungal growth."

Stern notes that most of the damage from acrylics occurs when they're being removed. "When acrylics are removed, it is key that the manufacturer’s instructions are followed," she says. "Many salons use an electric file to aid in removal, and this can definitely damage the nail and cuticle barrier."

How to Make Manicures Safer

Here are some ideas for making your manicures a bit safer, as recommended by the dermatologists we spoke with:

Traditional Manicures

• Opt for acetone-free nail polish remover.

• If you have sensitive skin or are worried about developing a contact allergy, look for nail polishes labeled "10-free." These are made without 10 chemicals commonly used in nail polish that are sometimes associated with harmful side effects.

• Go to a reputable salon that uses proper techniques and sanitizes their tools.

• Consider skipping the cuticle-trimming step in a manicure. "The cuticle plays an important role in protecting the nail plate from external pathogens," Yang says.
  

Gel Manicures

According to our experts, UVA exposure is the leading potential risk related to gel manicures. "We do have a simple, safe solution that manicure customers can adopt to protect themselves: sunscreen and a protective glove with cut-out fingertips," Stern says. "These products are available on the market and should also be available and offered at nail salons." She suggests applying broad-spectrum sunscreen 30 minutes before the gel manicure and asking the technician not to rub it off during the manicure. "That way the exposed areas not protected by the glove will also be protected adequately with sunscreen," she says.

Acrylic Manicures

Much of the damage with acrylics happens during removal, so this is when you're going to want to be most careful. "When soaking in acetone, try to protect the nail folds and cuticle by applying a greasy barrier emollient," Stern says. And definitely don't try to peel off acrylics yourself.

The Final Takeaway

Manicures—traditional, gel, and acrylic—can damage your nails if you don't take the proper precautions. Some common issues include allergies to nail polish ingredients, drying out and weakening your nails because of harsh ingredients in nail polish remover, UV exposure during gel manicures, or cuticle and nail damage due to some manicure techniques. But with the right steps in place—like using acetone-free nail polish remover and wearing sunscreen and gloves to your next gel manicure—you can minimize some of these risks.

Read the original article on Byrdie.