Minor Cancer Risk at Nail Salons

The high intensity ultraviolet (UV) lamps used in nail salons have been found to emit enough harmful radiation to be a cancer risk -- albeit a small one -- according to a recent study.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Medicinal Association (JAMA) Dermatology, details how researcher found that the high intensity UV rays of lamps used to dry and cure nail polish in nail salons  actually pose a cancer risk -- although significant amounts of exposure would be needed to cause any real harm.

According to the study, researchers from Georgia Regents University tested 17 different common models of nail salon lamps. While the lamps varied in wattage, and irradiance emitted, the researchers were able to calculate that an estimated 11 exposures to the lamps' rays in a relatively short period of time to increase a person's risk of developing skin cancer.

Essentially, this means that most lamps are harmless enough, given that you are not dipping you hand under a salon lamp more than a couple times a month. However, less-threatening UV ray damage still can occur.

UV-A, the UV ray that these lamps generally emit, is known to age the skin, cause wrinkles, and even damage DNA strands -- potentially causing  cancer cells to invade the epidermis -- much like excessive tanning does.

"Our data suggest that, even with numerous exposures, the risk for skin cancer, remains small," study author Dr. Lindsay Shipp said in a university release. "That said, we concur with previous authors in recommending use of physical blocking sunscreens or UV-A protective gloves to limit the risk of skin cancer and photo aging."

Shipp maintained that while these lamps do pose a small danger, the real UV-A threat is tanning beds, as the same harmful rays seen in this study cover a far greater surface area than just the finger tips in a tanning salon, exponentially increasing ray exposure.

The study was published in JAMA Dermatology on April 30.