Consider this frightening health risk before your next gel manicure

26 January 2017
By Fashion Quarterly

Gel manicure nails health risk

A scary, hidden health risk

We’ve been strongly warned about the risk of UV radiation in sunbeds, but have you ever thought about the risk associated with the lighting used for gel manicures?

Facebook user Lauren Ann posted to the social media platform recently, warning people with a photo of her best friend’s thumb nail which has an unusual reddish-brown stripe through the middle.

“That’s what #melanoma looks like on a#thumbnail,” her post read.

You might not be aware of this (and we’ll admit we weren’t before reading this either), but you can get skin cancer on your nail which can be dangerous if it isn’t caught early.

“One of my very best friends in the world got gel manicures regularly, like many of us. Prior to her diagnosis I hadn’t put too much thought into the dangers of the UV light so closely to the fingers/nails, especially with some fairly newer chemical compound on them,” Lauren’s post continued.

“She no longer has this thumbnail because THANK GOD she was smart enough to go to a dermatologist and he diagnosed her with a rare form of cancer and did surgery. Although she very much misses her 10th nail, she is lucky it did not spread. And I’m SO EXTREMELY blessed that she caught this in time.

“Please be cautious when getting gel’s and consider that there are these types of risks. This is just a friendly PSA,” she stressed.

We’re not saying that you should avoid getting gel manicures but do keep an eye on your fingers, nails and skin, in case of unhealthy changes.

Image: Getty Images

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