It is an American study which raises the question of these lamps, which could damage the DNA in the long term.
The gel manicure is gaining popularity around the world, that’s a fact. Providing resistance and shine, the technique requiring a UV lamp to dry the gel would not be without danger.
This is an American study conducted by the universities of San Diego and Pittsburgh and the results of which were published in the journal Nature, which reveals it. According to the researchers, frequent and long-term exposure would be likely to damage DNA, and lead to cellular mutations similar to those observed in patients. with skin cancer.
UV lamps: An impact at the cellular level?
It is the effects of these lamps at the molecular and cellular levels that have been studied. The researchers exposed both human and animal cells to these lamps.
The authors indicate that “Each primary cell line was irradiated one, two or three times, with the duration of each exposure ranging from 0 to 20 minutes. Cell viability was measured 48 hours after the last irradiation, each condition being repeated at least three times”.
Induced cytotoxicity
What result? Ultraviolet radiation was the cause of cytotoxicity. The authors of the study specify that a single irradiation of 20 minutes caused the destruction of 20 to 30% of the cells, when three consecutive exposures of 20 minutes destroyed 65 to 70% of the cells.
“We have examined skin cancer patients and we observed exactly the same patterns of mutations in these patients”conclude the scientists.
Need for in-depth study
These results must however be followed by a larger epidemiological study, because as the researchers say, “It is likely that such studies will take at least a decade to complete and then inform the general public”.
What do the health authorities think? To the UNITED STATESthe FDA relies on a study dating from 2013 to conclude that “low risk when [ces lampes] are used according to label instructions (…) To date, the FDA has not received any reports of burns or skin cancer attributed to these lamps”.