The holiday season will be upon us in a relatively short time.  Manicures, and makeup will be in full force for those of us attending parties and trying to look our ‘best‘.  For some people, that also means getting their nails done at a nail salon.

In  a recent inquiry from a family friend, I was asked about my Gel Manicure, and why I would take the ‘health risk’ of having them done. This re-ignited a conversation and a revisit to learning more about this ‘beauty’ subject.  The last time I researched and wrote about  this topic on Hairblues was in 2012, https://hairblues.me/2012/12/10/gel-manicured-nails-dos-donts/

I believe that those of us who continue to get these type of manicures mostly do so because of the convenience not to have their nails done weekly, or worrying about whether it will last until the event.  We’ve all had the experience of ‘messing up’ a new manicure after a few days (or minutes).

• I felt it was time for me to look at this topic again since it keeps coming up, and my research revealed that the safety guidelines are all over the place. This question is certainly worth exploring.  It may be that not having gel manicures frequently is worth considering, or maybe not having them at all.  It’s also a good idea to have your dermatologist take a look at your hands/nails when you have your yearly skin exam, which I wrote about last year. https://hairblues.me/2018/01/12/healthwise-new-year-checkups/

Below are some of the highlights of my research in bullet form.  As always, click the source links for a detailed explanation.

♦ Women may think LED devices skip or minimize the ultraviolet light, which is misleading. https://www.today.com/health/are-gel-manicures-safe-what-know-about-uv-exposure-skin-t154294

♦ Melanonychia is when you have brown or black lines on your nails. These lines can also be a natural occurrence if you have a dark complexion. https://www.healthline.com/health/melanonychiahttps://www.healthline.com/health/melanonychia

♦ It’s a good idea to periodically give your gel manicure a vacation. https://www.bustle.com/articles/132861-7-gel-manicure-truths-to-

♦ Wear SPF of 30 or higher to protect your hands when getting a gel manicure. https://www.aad.org/public/skin-hair-nails/nail-care/manicure-safety/gel-manicures

♦ Any manicure left in place for an extended period of time is not a good idea. https://www.webmd.com/beauty/news/20130301/gel-manicures-durable-but-can-cause-lasting-problems#1

♦ YouVeeShield gloves can protect your hands from gel manicures. Take a look at this website for more information. https://www.youveeshield.com/.

FYI – Cruelty Free Nail Polish
https://ethicalelephant.com/vegan-nailpolish/

Stay beautiful safely!