Are UV Nail Lamps Safe? How to Explain to Concerned Clients

As Americans become ever more conscious about what we’re putting in and on our bodies, concerns about UV lamps for gel manicures have been cropping up again lately—particularly, whether or not they cause cancer. This concern comes back to the general public’s consciousness every few years, circulating as misinformation takes hold.

In reality, UV gel lamps are highly unlikely to cause cancer because of the miniscule amount of actual UV exposure. That’s certainly comforting news, because who wants to give up getting gel manicures?

“Client hands are likely to be exposed to more UV while driving their cars than what they can expect to receive from UV nail services,” explains Doug Schoon, President of Schoon Scientific and Regulatory Consulting and a beauty industry scientist with over 30 years of experience in the field. “It is important to note that the back of the hand is the least UV sensitive part of the body and four times more UV resistant than the forehead or cheek, which even further increases the margin of safety.”

If you’re finding that your clients are concerned about the safety of gel lamps, here are a few ways you can ease those anxieties.

Acknowledge Their Concern

Be compassionate when a client voices their concerns. The thought that a service they enjoy getting done regularly could be cancer-causing is a scary one. Even if they’re misinformed, as their nail tech, you have the power to address and alleviate their fears.

Explain the Low Risk

Let your client know that nail lamps are even safer than being in natural sunlight due to the UV resistance of the hands, the limited amount of time the hands are under the lamp, and the low amount of UV emitted from the lamp.

Express to them that the safety of UV gel lamps has been tested and proven many times in laboratory settings, and scientists agree that the UV light from a gel lamp poses no threat to the client’s health.

Offer Reasonable Solutions

For some clients, the negligible risk won’t be enough to make them feel better. Perhaps they’ve been affected by cancer in some way, and the concern exists constantly in the back of their mind. If the facts don’t make your client feel better, offer to cover their hands with a small piece of cloth while they’re under the lamp.

If they choose to wear sunscreen on their hands, just make sure the nail plates are clean and free of anything that could cause product not to adhere.

And if all else fails, there’s always regular nail lacquer!

Making your clients feel better about UV exposure during gel nail services is all about compassion. For some, knowing the science behind it will be enough to not be worried. For other clients, it may take a bit more effort, but solutions exist for everyone. Remember that your clients trust you, and you have more capability of helping them feel comfortable than you think.