It is well known that UV rays from the sun, such as those from solariums, accelerate the signs of skin aging and increase the risk of skin cancer.
UV and LED lamps used in beauty salons to catalyze semi-permanent manicures or gel nails both emit these same ultraviolet rays.
So, should we be worried?
To discover
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This was the whole point of a new American scientific study carried out by the University of California and published on January 17, 2023 in the journal
Nature
.
Verdict: The results show that the ultraviolet (UVA) light wavelengths from these lamps can damage DNA and cause mutations in human cells that increase the risk of skin cancer.
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In detail, researchers from the University of California, San Diego and the University of Pittsburgh exposed human and mouse cell lines to UVA light from these devices.
The experiment demonstrates that after a single exposure of 20 minutes, 20 to 30% of the cells die.
Then, after three consecutive exposures of 20 minutes, 65 to 70% of the cells die.
In both cases, damage to the DNA of the remaining cells leads to mutations similar to those seen in melanoma.
“Our experimental results, coupled with the elements already present in the medical literature, strongly suggest that the radiation from these machines intended for drying manicures could cause cancers on the hands and that, like solariums,
However, it is important to note that the study did not involve real people, but cells derived from humans and animals.
Thus, the researchers cannot conclude that these UV lamps increase the risks of cancer on the basis of these experiments alone.
A large-scale epidemiological study would have to be carried out to really quantify the risks of cancer in the population regularly using these machines.
The authors estimate that it will take at least ten years for such a project to come to fruition.
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"We see very clearly that this negatively affects cells and damages DNA," said one of the study's lead authors, Ludmil Alexandrov, an associate professor of cellular and molecular medicine at UC-San Diego, in a statement. an interview with the
Washington Post
.
Prevention
Originally, the subject of the study started from a very specific case.
“We have learned that the Miss Illinois USA model has developed a rare type of cancer on her fingernail.
She herself said that this cancer appeared as a result of frequent use of gel nail polish.
We therefore decided to study the UV machines used in nail salons”, explains Maria Zhivagui, first author of the study and postdoctoral researcher in San Diego, in an interview with the magazine
Sciences et Avenir .
.
Following this, the specialist realized that several medical journals had already reported cases of nail cancer and the back of the hand in beauticians after UVA exposure in beauty salons.
A few weeks ago, the American Academy for Dermatology already advised applying sunscreen before applying a manicure with gel polish, explaining that these procedures could “increase the risk of skin cancer”.