Is it harmful to apply gel polish? Is there any harm from gel nail polish? How long can you wear gel polish?

Gel nail polish has become the most popular means of sprucing up a woman’s hands. There are quite a lot of advantages, including the fact that it is convenient and practical. I would like to understand the issue of the benefits of gel nail polish for human health, as well as reduce the harm of gel nail polish.

Composition of gel polish

Gel varnish contains polymer compounds that harden when exposed to ultraviolet rays. The manicure will last on the nails for 2-3 weeks. The strength of the coating depends on the manufacturer and the characteristics of the nail plate. A month after such a manicure, it is recommended to make a correction or remove the gel polish, as it grows and it looks ugly on the nails.

The composition contains a pigment that is responsible for the brightness and durability of color. It is not able to dissolve in the gel, so when applying gel polish we see a dense and rich color.

Various fillers and additives affect the gloss, dullness of the coating or the viscosity of the composition. Acrylic acid ester provides the composition with viscosity and tightly adheres to the nail plate, guaranteeing a durable coating.

Advantages of gel nail polish

1. Strengthens healthy nails.

2. There is no strong chemical smell, non-toxic composition.

3. Wide choice of color palette.

4. Eliminates application in an uneven thick layer.

5. High-quality gel nail polish takes good care of the health of the nail plate.

6. Does not require filing of the nail surface.

7. You can wear manicure for up to 3 weeks.

8. The shine of the manicure does not fade over time and remains unchanged.

Danger and harm of gel nail polish

Unscrupulous artists reduce the cost of the expensive process of applying gel polish to nails through cheap fakes. There are a lot of such funds on the market. When choosing a specialist, you should be interested in what companies he uses. A low-quality nail product will not only bring no benefit, but can also cause harm.

How to distinguish a low-quality product among such a variety? The original gel polish, in addition to its high cost, has a unique quality standard mark. The packaging must contain information about the manufacturer and set the standard - BIG3FREE. This suggests that there are no harmful chemicals in the composition.

Gel polish can cause damage to healthy nails if you use it for a long time without allowing your nails to rest. The recovery period for nails should last at least 1 month every six months. This time is used to saturate the nail plate with calcium, so professional medicinal compounds are applied.

How to reduce the harm of gel nail polish on healthy hands

Gel polish has improved the modern concept of manicure and is an incredibly stylish and durable product. Gel coating guarantees less harm to healthy nails.

Tips to reduce the harmful effects of gel polish:

· Do not use gel polish on nails with fungal diseases.

· Do not buy gel polish with a pungent chemical smell. The harmful substances contained in such products accumulate in the body and can cause cancer.

· Do not use gel polish after the expiration date. Closed varnish is stored for 3 years, open – 2 years.

· On weak nails that have become brittle and dull, do not use gel coating. To eliminate the causes of fragility, you should consult a specialist and undergo a course of treatment. Usually, medications with calcium and other substances that are lacking in the body are prescribed.

· If your nails were previously artificial, you should give them rest and time to recover.

· The periungual area needs to be properly nourished and moisturized so that the overall manicure looks beautiful.

· During pregnancy, it is better to abandon gel polish in favor of regular nail oils. Excessive chemical exposure to the mother’s body will definitely affect the baby’s health. The pharmacy sells medicinal products that will carefully preserve the beautiful and neat appearance of your nails.

· The UV nail drying lamp may be dangerous if purchased without inspection and warranty. The bulbs inside the lamp itself need to be replaced periodically. They are coated with a protective coating that disappears over time. The manufacturer indicates information about the lamp and its expiration date on the packaging; do not neglect this factor and do not skimp on your health.

· If you have moles or melanomas on your hands, then it is better to avoid gel polish. Drying nails in a lamp provokes skin aging and the development of melanomas. To reduce the harmful effects, use special cotton gloves with open upper phalanges. It may be recommended to apply a protective nourishing cream.

Significant disadvantages of gel polish

1. For home use, you will have to purchase a whole range of products for this procedure. Equipment and tools are expensive.

2. Removing gel polish coating is quite difficult. An experienced master will need up to 30 minutes, but you can spend an hour or more on this yourself. If you carry out the procedure carelessly, damaging the nail plate can make it vulnerable to infections and fungi. A yellowish surface of the nail may indicate that the nail technician did not dry the nails properly in the lamp.

3. Allergic reactions to the material itself often occur.

4. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, there is a large release of hormones, so the gel polish coating does not last or comes off unevenly.

5. For those whose nails are naturally strong and grow quickly, this manicure is not suitable, because correction will have to be done often, and this is inconvenient.

If you follow a certain technology for applying gel polish to your nails, you don’t have to worry about the harmful effects of its composition. The formula of this innovative product is constantly being improved and undergoes a lot of research.

Is it practical to use gel polish?

In beauty salons you will be offered a choice: a regular manicure with nail polish, or gel polish. Due to their heavy workload and lack of free time, many girls prefer gel polish due to its practicality. It dries quickly and has no chemical smell. Regular varnish takes a long time to dry and is very easy to damage. It is this resistance to many environmental factors that has made gel polish so popular among women around the world.

At one time, classic nail extensions with gel or acrylic were gaining popularity, but gel polish is gradually replacing them. There is no need to file it down, but for correction they use a special solvent that gently removes the varnish layer. And the new coating can be applied in just a few minutes.

Women strive for a beautiful manicure and are ready to sacrifice time and money for this. When choosing a gel polish coating, you can say with confidence that this is the right choice. The benefits of gel nail polish are guaranteed by the manufacturer; check the expiration date and consistency of the gel before purchasing and applying it to your nails. It will retain its original appearance longer and, if the professional works correctly, guarantees the strengthening of the nail plate. The color palette is so diverse that every girl can choose a design for her nails.

Every girl tries to look perfect, sometimes a perfect picture can be ruined by an ugly manicure. This is where a service that is fashionable these days comes to the rescue - coating nails with gel polish (shellac).

The main advantage of the gel is maximum strength, long-term preservation of appearance, and instant drying. But despite all this, disputes regarding the safety of the procedure and the harm to women’s health continue to persist. Is it really? And why is gel nail polish harmful? Can I use it for a child's manicure?

It is impossible to talk about the absolute safety of manicure using gel, since the product contains chemicals. They help ensure the proper varnish consistency, hardness, desired color and beautiful appearance. Moreover, colorless varnish is also produced according to this principle.

If the main components are approximately the same for all manufacturers, then the auxiliary components can vary greatly. Shine and elasticity are sometimes achieved with camphor, formaldehyde, and their derivatives.

How harmful is gel polish?

Before visiting a nail salon, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the list of toxic substances that are undesirable in gel polish. Some of them are so harmful that they cause unpleasant and even serious diseases.

Is gel nail polish harmful? Formaldehyde can cause harm; it is necessary to increase the shelf life of the product and is a powerful preservative. The substance can penetrate the bloodstream through the nail plate and accumulate in the internal organs, poisoning the body.

The most dangerous effect of formaldehyde is carcinogenic; it can also provoke a severe allergic reaction and, with prolonged use, painting can destroy the nail plate.

If there is an excess, another component of the gel polish, toluene, disrupts the functioning of the nervous system; it can negatively affect the entire body, causing:

1. attacks of nausea;
2. pain in the abdominal cavity;
3. headache.

The substance dibutyl phthalate can have a negative effect on the skin, lungs and organs of the endocrine system.

There is an opinion that certain components of gel polish are especially harmful for pregnant women and nursing mothers; they allegedly penetrate through breast milk and the placenta. However, there is no reliable information about this; special scientific research has not yet been carried out.

Pregnancy should not be a reason to refuse a beautiful manicure; the way out of the situation is to turn to the services of trusted nail technicians who use safe materials.

With all this, gel polish brings benefits to nails, it:

• saves them from the aggressive effects of external stimuli;
• prevents fragility and deformation;
• helps nails to be strong.

Therefore, it is impossible to speak unequivocally about the dangers of gel coating; with a reasonable approach and correct application, the method will not cause harm.

If you paint your nails with gel polish, it helps to grow the desired length without worrying about brittleness.

How does gel affect nails?

It's no secret that painting your nails even with regular polish is harmful; it is recommended to give them at least a little time to rest. Women are sure that constantly wearing gel polish is undesirable, since it harms the nail plates and limits the access of oxygen to them. Another problem is filing of the top layer of the nail, violating its “immunity.”

Side effects of using low-quality materials and wearing the gel for a long time are: separation, dullness, brittleness, thinning, lumpiness and unevenness of the nails. It is best to wear gel polishes with reasonable breaks, combining them with a period of recovery and treatment. You also need to contact craftsmen who value their reputation and use only high-quality materials.

Often girls spoil their nails themselves and attribute it to the harm of the gel. For example, this happens when you remove the coating from your nails yourself. It is optimal to contact a manicurist for the procedure; he will remove the varnish using a certain technology.

It is harmful to try to scrape off nail polish on your own using sharp objects, because the nail plate:

1. loses its protective layer;
2. lumps appear;
3. the nail may crack.

Naturally, you can remove varnish at home, but to do this you need to have tools and know the technology. First, carefully dissolve the coating by applying special products, and only then begin to remove it.

There is a lot of talk about the dangers of ultraviolet lamps, women worry about this stage of manicure, they think that drying nails is as harmful as painting them. There is a negative effect on the skin of the hands, but it is so insignificant that no significant harm occurs. However, it is necessary to take into account that there are clear contraindications to the use of ultraviolet radiation, for example, cancer.

This rule also applies to the application of varnish to adults and children in adolescence; the doctor must give permission for the procedure.

How to reduce the likelihood of harm

When the master follows the rules, covers the nails with high-quality materials, and there will be no harm from the procedure. It is still necessary to remember the recommendations that will prevent damage to the nail plates, their fragility, and tarnishing.

​Our expert - dermatologist, cosmetologist Svetlana Zhukovskaya.

What is hidden under "bio"

What are the super-resistant nail coatings that are so popular today made of? Such nail coatings are based on the so-called biogel. Some manicurists claim that these gel polishes contain only natural ingredients. In fact, the word “bio” has nothing to do with it; the ingredients are modern synthetic polymers. But chemists managed to come up with a compound that does not harm the nail plate, does not disrupt its structure, and allows air to pass through.

Harm or benefit?

The super-resistant coating seals the tips of the nails, so fragile and flaking nails become dense and strong. They can be easily grown to the desired length. But you won’t be able to strengthen your nails and make them healthier with gel polish. After the master removes the coating, they will still be thin and flaky, as they were before the manicure.

As for the safety of new polymers, it is believed that the most harmful procedure for the nail is not covering it with any varnish, but removing the varnish. The more aggressive the solvent, the more the nails and skin around the nail bed are damaged. And since when removing biogel, acetone (or another solvent) gets on the nails not once every 3-5 days (as when removing regular varnish, which is not durable), but once every 2-3 weeks, the nail plates only benefit from a super-resistant coating.

Strengthening nails

If you have weak and dry nails, apply intensive masks with bionit, tea tree oil, and any moisturizing and nourishing ingredients to your unvarnished nails. Intensive masks often contain panthenol, aloe vera and chamomile extracts, glycerin and keratin. For a week, the masks are applied at night, and in the morning the thin film that the mask forms on the surface of the nail is easily removed. Then you can take a month-long break, during which you apply a special base composition with panthenol to your nails.

How long does the coating last?

The super-resistant coating lasts for at least two weeks. The manicure will be perfect; you won’t have to renew it until a significant part of the nail has grown back. After 14 days it will noticeably turn white in a wide strip next to the painted part. But if you cover your nails with a transparent or light tone, then the regrown part will not be so noticeable and you can then visit a manicurist in 3-4 weeks.

Women literally get hooked on this type of manicure. Once done, having appreciated the convenience and durability, they continue to cover their nails with a super-resistant coating. But it’s difficult to apply it yourself. It's better to do it in a salon.

How to apply and what to remove

And the most important thing is that the old coating must be removed by a professional. If you do this yourself, you can remove the top living film covering the nail together with the gel polish. He becomes "defenseless" and looks sick. The master removes the coating with a special liquid, packing the nails covered with it in foil and leaving it for 5-10 minutes. After this, the coating can be easily removed with a manicure stick and a fresh one can be applied.

By the way, the name Shellac is just one of the options for gel polish from CND. Other brands: OPI, Jessica have their own biogels - Gel Color, Gelish Harmony...

An article on the topic: “the harm of gel polish and UV lamps for nails. The opinions of cosmetologists and doctors about the dangers of gel polish coating” from professionals.

For the sake of beauty, women agree to do a lot, sometimes even not at all useful. Expensive services, painful injections, the use of chemicals - this is not the whole list of what the fair sex decides to do in order to be at their best. One of these procedures is coating nails with gel polish. Gel polish is a salvation for modern girls who literally do not have time for a daily manicure. Gel polish lasts at least a week, and sometimes a month, depending on the varnish itself and individual characteristics. However, many people believe that gel polish is harmful to the nail plate. Gel polish contains formaldehyde. If we omit all the features of making nail coatings, we can conclude that formaldehyde is added to cosmetics to increase its shelf life. This substance is an excellent preservative, but that’s where its advantages end. But the range of shortcomings is very extensive.

How harmful is formaldehyde?

Formaldehyde is used very widely in the chemical industry. It is an important component of foam and plastics. The substance also has antiseptic properties, which allows it to be used for the preservation of body parts in museums. Can such a component be safe for a living organism?

Formaldehyde is present in many cosmetics. However, it poses the greatest danger when used in nail coatings. The fact is that 80% of all substances that fall on the nails penetrate the blood and, accordingly, the internal organs. Shellac or regular varnish stays on the plates for a long time. Therefore, everything that is placed on them during this period gradually saturates the blood flow.

The effect of formaldehyde is cumulative. Being a preservative, it gradually affects all organs and tissues. As a result, irreversible changes begin to occur in the body. In particular, the nails themselves deteriorate. They become dry, crack, yellowness appears - and this is just the beginning. Therefore, the harm of nail polish with formaldehyde is obvious.

In Russia there are no laws regulating the level of preservative content in nail coatings. In the West, this is strictly monitored, so in European cosmetics the maximum concentration of formaldehyde does not exceed 0.2%.

Harm of gel polish

Experts do not recommend painting your nails even with simple polish every day: you need to give them regular breaks. It’s easy to understand that constantly wearing gel polish for months will certainly harm the nail plate, because the thick coating limits the access of oxygen. There is one more point - a violation of the natural “immunity” of the nail: under the gel, the plate loses its upper protective layer. What side effects can you notice on your nails after using a low-quality product or applying the coating for too long without resting?

• Yellowing
• Unevenness, lumpiness
• Delamination
• Dullness
• Thinning
• Brittleness, cracking

Using gel polishes with reasonable breaks, combining them with periods of treatment and recovery, and applying only high-quality coatings will not cause any harm! The ideal option is to have gel polish removed from your nails by a manicurist to prevent damage to the nail plate due to improper technology. Do not scrape your nails with sharp objects. After improper removal of gel polish, the nail looks sick, having lost its protective film. But, having carefully studied the procedure for removing the coating, you can perform the procedure at home by carefully dissolving the gel polish and then carefully removing it. It is advisable to select products of the same brand as the gel polish itself.

Myths about the dangers of modern gel polishes

Even advanced scientists find it difficult to assess the supposed harm of gel nail polish or other similar coatings. Therefore, one should not judge that decorative processing of plates is definitely dangerous. For many decades, women have been using decorative cosmetics without compromising their health, and over time, their quality only gets better. Nowadays, lines of products have been developed for use during pregnancy and even during childhood and adolescence. Despite the development of the nail industry and constant improvements in materials and tools, myths about some properties of coatings remain relevant.

If the composition does not contain formaldehyde, the nail polish is considered harmless

In addition to preservatives, unscrupulous manufacturers add other harmful substances to their products: resins, solvents and plasticizers. To protect yourself from exposure to low-quality products, you should purchase only proven, recommended drugs from well-known brands.

Instead of a long-term coating, it is better to use a regular one - it’s safer.

This is a question from the category “is it harmful to paint your nails?” If you look at it, long-term coating turns out to be safer. It is applied for at least 10 days, while the varnish has to be removed every 2-3 days, constantly exposing the plates to a special liquid and applying a new layer. In this regard, gel, shellac and false nails are considered virtually harmless.

UV lamps for nails have been proven to be harmful

What hypochondriacs and women who are looking for an excuse for their unkemptness will not come up with! The UV lamp used in the extension or shellac process is no more harmful than the one that lights up your bedroom. Its only disadvantage is that it is contraindicated for use by cancer patients. If you have serious health problems, it is recommended that you consult with your doctor to see if you can use tools such as an ultraviolet lamp without causing serious harm to your health.

Long-term coating brings only benefits to nails

If you weigh the benefits and harms of gel polish or another type of plate decoration, then the latter will be heavier. Neither extensions nor coloring with shellac bring any advantages, other than aesthetic and economic ones.

False nails are safer than extensions and long-term shellac coating

Many girls ask masters about how harmful false nails are. At first glance, it certainly seems that this type of plate decoration is safer than classic extensions or shellac coating. In fact, there is currently no research to confirm or refute this assumption.

Girls expecting a baby should understand that even in low concentrations, using gel polish during pregnancy will be harmful. It’s better to find a safer, albeit more expensive, alternative.

Can pregnant women use gel polish?

1. Pregnant women are very sensitive to any external influences that affect not only them, but also the growing fetus. Pregnant women can use these cosmetics, but with extreme caution and following certain rules.
2. Before a manicure, apply a high-quality sunscreen to your hands, which will minimize the harmful effects of the drying lamp.
3. The varnishes used must not contain any toxic substances. The bottle should have the inscription 5 free.
4. Gel polishes should alternate with regular ones, but it is better if a pregnant woman does not get too carried away with manicure and gives her nails a rest.
5. Any varnish can be applied only in a well-ventilated area to avoid vapors entering the body.
6. If a manicure is done in a beauty salon, then you need to choose establishments with a proven reputation. In this case, be sure to look at the expiration date of the varnish and the date of the last lamp replacement.
7. It is not recommended for a pregnant woman to constantly wear a manicure; her nails already become brittle from hormonal changes in the body.

Nail care

If you do carry out such a procedure for your nails, then do not forget to take care of them, because the skin around the nail plate needs care and nourishment with useful substances.

1. Hygiene and cleanliness . It is an indisputable fact that you need to keep your hands clean. No matter how banal it may sound, they need to be washed with soap and a hygienic manicure, cutting off hangnails. Due to constant contact with unclean surfaces, pathogenic microorganisms can enter microcracks in the skin, which can cause the development of an inflammatory process. If pain and twitching occur, it is better to immediately consult a doctor rather than treat your finger with warming procedures and ointments.
2. Nail length. You should not grow long nails, since during any manual work the arm muscles will always be in a tense state. An uncomfortable position can lead to neurological diseases accompanied by pain and numbness.
3. Care. Depending on the type of skin on your hands and the time of year, you need to select the appropriate cream and use it regularly, applying it to the surface of your hands at least once a day at night. You can also make various baths to strengthen the nail plate after removing the gel polish coating. Grape seed and almond oils, which can be used as a base, have a beneficial effect on the skin and nails.

How to reduce harm

1. Do not use this cosmetic on nails that are infected with fungus or that are severely peeling. First, the nail plate is treated, and then it is given a presentable appearance.
2. Periodically, the nails are opened with colorless varnish with a high calcium content, which are sold in the pharmacy chain.
3. If your nails become dull and brittle, you need to take a course of vitamins.
4. If the skin on the fingertips is deformed, then the manicure is postponed until the skin is completely restored.
5. Special nourishing oils are periodically rubbed into the cuticle area. The choice of such drugs in the pharmacy is large.
6. The application technology must be strictly observed.

Gel polish has many advantages - durability, attractiveness and absence of coating defects, even with constant housework. In order for painted nails to please and bring aesthetic pleasure, you need to choose a good master, high-quality varnishes and a good lamp. In this case, there will be no harm to health.

Related Posts

leave a comment

Gel polish burst into the life of a modern woman and instantly captivated her. Manicure every day, bottles of acetone in your purse, peeling ends - with the advent of gel polishes, all the inconveniences and awkward moments are a thing of the past. It would seem that this is women's happiness. But no. Curiosity turned out to be stronger.

The question of whether it is harmful to cover nails with gel polish has brought confusion to the reigning idyll. They started talking gel polishes contain particularly dangerous ingredients, and the lamp for drying them causes cancer. Whether this is so, we will figure it out, relying on the competent opinion of podologists, allergists, dermatologists and immunologists.

Is a lamp for drying gel polish harmful?

It is worth treating with a good dose of skepticism the talk that allegedly drying the coating in a lamp provokes cancer. A number of studies on this subject were conducted by American specialists and established that a year of continuous manicure gel polish according to harmfulness is equivalent to 10 minutes of exposure to the sun. Well, for everyone concerned, the Skin Cancer Foundation (USA) suggests using UV protection cream.

By the way, no one has yet acquired tanned hands due to regular drying of gel polishes in a lamp, which means the strength of the effects of ultraviolet radiation is significantly exaggerated.

In general, the key task of gel polishes is to make nails beautiful, not healthy. And they don't owe anything more. True, they shouldn’t do any harm either, but this is optional. As a nice bonus from the manufacturer.

FAQ about the dangers of gel polishes: how to maintain health and nails

If yesterday they were said to be “damaging their nails”, today they are facing much more serious accusations – up to the risk of cancer, toxic poisoning and the threat of pathologies of fetal development. Do not panic. Many rumors are just speculation. Find honest answers to pressing questions below.

How does gel polish affect nail health?

“Guilty,” the girls pronounce their verdict on gel polish, having one day discovered brittle and thin nails instead of strong and thick ones. The truth is that “damage” is most often caused not by the varnish, but by the master.

Nails can be filed with a buffer during preparation, removed with a milling cutter during the hardware removal procedure, kept in a compress with HDSL, and dried in a lamp.

But how convenient is it to tell an injured client that what you wanted was gel polish.

It is beneficial to spread the myth of harm not only to manicurists, but also to companies producing “rehabilitative” products and cosmetology centers that provide “rehabilitation” services. You need to earn money.

In general, “internal” factors, that is, genetics, nutrition and health, have a much greater influence on nails. Here are three pillars that determine their strength and texture. Manicure rather creates protection, protecting the nails from unfavorable influences from the outside - not the culprit, but a guardian angel.

Is gel polish dangerous for health?

What are the nails? According to rumors, long-term manicure worsens your health! Let's figure it out. To make you feel worse, varnish toxins need to be absorbed and spread throughout the body through the bloodstream. Or enter the body in the form of volatile substances. As for “suction,” think about the layered structure of the manicure.

The bottom layer of the pie is the base, through which, in general, not a single “poisonous” gel polish can seep through.

Let's say the following about an attack on the respiratory system - the risks of inhaling some nasty stuff on the city streets are greater.

But allergies can occur. How can it develop on nuts, herbal teas, cosmetics, etc. The matter is individual and unpredictable.

Harmful substances in gel polishes?

Of course, there is nothing natural and healthy in synthetic varnishes. But what is dangerous? Maybe formaldehyde, formaldehyde resins, toluene, dibutyl phthalate and camphor.

Brands that care about reputation do not include this crap in their composition, and the most advanced ones produce “7-Free” class products - in addition to the above, excluding xylene and ethyltosilamide. In general, read the labels and choose the best.

Is gel polish harmful for pregnant women?

Doctors say yes, it is dangerous. And they say because they are insuring themselves. Most of them studied when there were no gel polishes, and even now they hardly give lectures on this subject at universities. So we are forced to speak categorically about long-lasting manicure - just in case. And yet there is nothing criminal about it.

There are no substances that can cross the blood-brain barrier. But there are volatile components, the inhalation of which is hypothetically harmful. True, following the same logic, a pregnant woman should avoid anything that “smells” - for example, powders or toilet disinfectants.

Conclusion: you don’t have to worry about it, but keep an eye on the sterility of instruments, ventilation of the room and quality of materials. Remove - of course, with a cutter.

Is it harmful to apply gel polish all the time?

Nails - a fairly durable material, which, moreover, are not teeth - grow back. In addition, nails do not “breathe”, contrary to popular belief, that is, they cannot suffocate.

By and large, there are no contraindications to continuously wearing gel polish.

Marigolds can remain under the “shell” indefinitely without suffering from asphyxia. The meaning is different - the ritual of removal.

Acetone is frankly harmful, and the more often you remove the gel polish, the more injury you cause. But who’s stopping you from cutting it down carefully?

What is more harmful - regular polish or gel polish?

It’s difficult to answer unequivocally. Both products are of synthetic origin. Both can be of high quality or not. The difference is that regular polish has to be removed frequently (sometimes daily), which actually, and not mythically, injures the nails.

At the same time, it can be applied to a treatment base, doing both the beauty of nails and their restoration.

Gel polish dissolves rarely, once every few weeks, and there is always a non-chemical version of “sawdust”, but the bases for it are often ordinary. Strengthening becomes a separate ritual.

However, among gel polish brands there are manufacturers who offer color-matched restorative bases, as does Jessica Cosmetics International. Thus, gel polishes win with a slight advantage.

ContentsNew formula or proven product? Is gel polish under the cuticle a benefit or a disservice? How long can you wear gel polish? Is constant wearing of gel polish dangerous? Is covering nails with gel polish suitable for everyone? Gel polish and health: myths and trueThesis 1: Drying nails with a lamp provokes skin cancerThesis 2: Gel nail polishes contain toxic substances that are life-threateningThesis 3: Failure to follow the procedure technique can lead to nerve damageThesis 4: In addition to coating your nails in the salon, you can get an infectionThesis 5: Wearing gel polish harms natural nailsInstead of confinement

“If we needed to create the perfect nail polish, we would come up with gel polish.” Thus begins the story of one of the most popular services in beauty salons, which has conquered the whole world. But are gel nail polishes as safe as we think? Is it possible to extend nails for pregnant women and what risks do nail technicians risk when performing the procedure day after day? Only the truth about gel nail polishes based on the experience of leading experts in the nail industry and research by scientists and doctors - on MedAboutMe.

New formula or proven product?

Gel polishes combine the best qualities of gels and nail polishes. They do not chip, delight you with thousands of different shades, grip firmly and allow you to forget about them until the next procedure. The speed of creating an ideal coating without preliminary manicure is 40 minutes, with it it lasts up to 2 hours - depending on the competence of the nail technician, the quality of the materials used and the power of the lamp for drying the coating.

Nails coated with gel polish are beautiful, resistant to external influences and accidental damage. They can easily be left for 2-3 weeks - until the nail plate grows and the border of the nail and the applied varnish is no longer visible. At the same time, some masters can solve this problem by increasing the service life of the coating by applying it directly under the cuticle. The client is satisfied, the master gets a thousand plus in karma and only the health of the nails is still in question.

Gel polish (aka “shellac”) is the most popular procedure in the modern world of manicure. The coating is a mix of varnish and gel, and it has a number of advantages, which is why it has become the “favorite” of many girls.

The main advantage of gel polish is time saving. On average, the procedure, which includes removing the old coating, manicure and applying gel polish, lasts 1.5 - 2 hours. With professional application and careful treatment on the part of the client, the coating lasts 3-5 weeks, does not chip, does not change color, and does not scratch. Just 1.5 hours and you can forget about manicure for a month!

Gel polish helps to grow your nails to the length that the client wants to achieve. The nail under the coating is protected from external aggressive factors that occur every day in everyday life - cleaning, cooking, water, and sometimes assembling furniture.

The palette of shades pleases even the most fastidious clients; in some salons the number of colors reaches 1000. You can choose any design, and a professional master will make a masterpiece out of your nails.

Gel polish under the cuticle - a benefit or a disservice?

Applying a coating under the cuticle is considered “the height of skill.” On social networks, experts post photos of their work with the hashtag #subcuticle. Satisfied clients write laudatory speeches, and only doctors shake their heads disapprovingly. What's the matter here?

A “deep manicure,” as this procedure is also called, is performed as deep as possible under the proximal nail fold. The master moves the eponychium and cleans the ptergy, after which he applies gel polish. Such “jewelry” work provides some advantages. For example, a woman going on vacation may not think about the beauty of her nails: for 5-6 weeks the coating will look perfect. But there is also another side to the coin!

During a deep manicure, pressure is applied to the matrix - the root of the nail. If it is weak, it is fraught with serious consequences. Thus, damage to the matrix can lead to the appearance of grooves on the nails. The client will be lucky if the problem goes away along with the growing part of the nail, but it may happen that it remains forever. In this case, cracks are formed along the entire length of the nail plates, the depth of which is almost equal to the thickness of the nail.

Another danger of applying gel polish under the cuticle is that it opens the door for infections. You should never forget that the cuticle performs a protective function, protecting the matrix from external influences and accidental damage. But during the procedure, it is cut off and the ptergium is cleaned out, which can lead to infection and nail diseases.

Carefully!

During a manicure, the client should not experience pain! If the result of the master’s work is a flawless coating, but the nail folds are inflamed or there are cuts on them, you cannot go to such a master again.

How long can you wear gel polish?

Gel nail polish formulas include chemicals that ensure strong adhesion of the polish to the nail plates. In this case, the manufacturer usually indicates how long the gel polish can be worn. “Over-term” is dangerous for both the client and the specialist.

Firstly, after the period specified by the manufacturer, the polymer bonds begin to disintegrate, the coating becomes unusable, although it still looks good in appearance. Components harmful to health are released, which, accumulating in the body, can become a source of allergies or even lead to bronchial asthma.

Secondly, only strict adherence to the creation technology and timely removal of the coating can guarantee the safety of natural nails. Extending the wear period leads to the fact that the adhesion of the coating to the plates gradually increases. Removing it requires more aggressive action, which undermines the health of the nails.

So, if the master removes the coating by soaking the nails in a special liquid that helps dissolve the polymers, its exposure time increases significantly. At the same time, the remover liquid is relatively safe only for short-term exposure.

If gel polish is removed by filing, then no matter how good the hoods in the salon are, harmful compounds, along with the dust from filing, get on the skin and settle in the respiratory tract of the master and the client. Subsequently, this can lead to the development of serious diseases - allergic dermatitis, bronchial asthma, eczema and more.

Expert commentaryEkaterina Trybul, nail service master

Many people are interested in the question “How long can I wear gel polish?” I advise all my clients to wear one coating for 3-4 weeks as much as possible. After all, as the nail grows, its stress zone shifts, and the pressure on the grown part becomes greater. There is a risk of nail breakage, especially in its middle part. And, of course, the aesthetic part of the question - there is nothing more beautiful than a fresh manicure.

I always emphasize that if we talk about gel polish, the consequences and procedures associated with removing the coating, then we are talking only about a professional master who knows his job well and has sufficient experience to provide such services. Such a master knows that there are 2 ways to remove gel polish coating: soaking with a liquid containing a large amount of acetone and hardware removal by sawing off the coating with a cutter.

Soaking is used if the coating was performed without the “smoothing the nail plate” procedure. The thickness of the coating is small, so removal is easy. This type of removal of old material is quite aggressive; you should definitely pay attention to the sensitivity of the client’s skin, as well as whether he is allergic. If the answer is positive, only hardware removal is suitable for him. It is used for sawing off the coating with leveling, and also if the master used a hard finishing coating. In such cases, the liquid will simply be powerless, and instead of the result you will get a skin burn and irritation. Hardware removal technology is a modern, safe way to remove old coating; in my work I have long forgotten about liquid.

Many clients remove gel polish themselves to save money. Do not do this under any circumstances! You can only harm yourself. Over the years of work, I have encountered many tragic cases. One of my clients began to “peel off” the coating and removed half of her nails, and it is impossible to restore them, just wait for a new nail to grow. But this is not a very pleasant time either, since due to the fact that the nail plate has become thinner, the nail may detach from the nail bed and empty cavities may form under the nail. Dirt and bacteria get into these cavities. As a result of unsuccessful removal, you can ruin your nails. Therefore, you should not refuse the help of professionals.

Is constant wearing of gel polish dangerous?

When taking care of the beauty of your nails, you should always remember about your health. After the next removal of the coating, the master must assess the condition of the nails and, if necessary, recommend that the client consult a dermatologist to eliminate adverse changes and prescribe proper care.

To prevent possible negative consequences of prolonged wear of the coating, some experts in the nail art industry advise taking a break every 6-8 months of extensions. Ideally, it should be 105 days. Why such precision? With proper metabolism, a new nail grows during this time. It is advisable to devote the break to medical procedures.

Thus, there are special professional varnishes that are applied to the nail plate and, under the influence of a nail drying lamp, penetrate deep into the nail and strengthen it. Treatment masks also show good results. They “calcify” the nails and make them stronger.

But the cuticle and side ridges around the nails require high-quality hydration and nutrition. Nail oil will do the job perfectly. It contains vitamins and other substances that heal the skin, increase its protective functions and give it a beautiful appearance.

As for nutrition, for beautiful and healthy nails you need high-quality protein (beef, turkey, chicken and other types of meat), calcium (all dairy products), sulfur (cabbage, onions, garlic) and other minerals (magnesium, silicon, phosphorus, zinc, selenium - can be obtained as part of special vitamin-mineral complexes).

Before blaming the manicurist or gel manufacturer for everything, let's look at the reasons.

Does gel polish harm natural nails?

Gel polish is a hybrid that incorporates the best properties of varnish coatings: ease of application, bright shine and a rich palette of colors and modeling gels, absence of unpleasant odor, long service life, resistance to damage. But, be that as it may, the chemical formula of this coating contains substances that provide deep penetration and adhesion to the natural nail. Only strict adherence to the technology for applying and removing such a coating can guarantee protection of the natural nail from damage. First of all, both masters and clients must understand that this coating cannot be “over-treated” for more than the period specified by the manufacturer, even if the nails look good. The adhesion of the coating to the nail gradually increases, and removing it will require more aggressive action, which will certainly harm the nails.

Do I need to take a break?

You can wear the covering constantly, without interruptions. The main problems arise not so much from gel manicure, but from improper nail care, because they need care no less than your hands. To ensure that your nails always remain in perfect condition, you need to provide them and the cuticle with the necessary nutrition. It is important to use special moisturizers that contain natural oils: almond, jojoba and others. Almonds protect nails from moisture loss - the main cause of their brittleness. And jojoba oil penetrates deeply and directly nourishes the nail root (matrix), on which the general further condition of the nail depends.

Why can nails deteriorate?

When applying gel polish, you must treat the nail plate very carefully, avoiding the use of hard files and polishing buffs. You must also ensure that the technician carries out the removal procedure correctly: it is unacceptable to completely file off the gel polish with a machine or nail file, or use hard metal sticks. This will lead to thinning of the nail plate. To avoid unpleasant consequences, you need to monitor the condition of your nails. If you have any skin diseases, and your nails themselves are peeling, gel polish can aggravate the situation. But it will not cause any harm to healthy nails.

Popular

What are the risks of technology disruption?

The gel manicure procedure can cause damage to the nails if the master performed it incorrectly or with violations of technology. After all, many are sure that if you file down natural nails, the coating will stick better. This is the main mistake. The hybrid of gel and varnish has high adhesion to the keratin of the natural nail due to its composition. That is why there is no need to perform additional manipulations with your nails. Also, nails often suffer due to improper removal of the coating, because many try to dissolve the coating on their own or even tear it off, like a film. And this can lead to delamination.

What should you avoid in gel polishes?

Many craftsmen happily use cheap Chinese materials in their work, without even knowing about their impact on the health of their clients and their own. The Nail Alliance chemical laboratory, which studies the impact of materials used in the nail industry on human health, has published the results of its research. Gel polishes made from cheap raw materials contain coloring pigments that are prohibited in the cosmetics industry. One of the most common is 1,6 hexanediol diacrylate (short name HDDA). This is a monomer used in the automotive industry that is extremely dangerous to human health. It is this that provokes allergic reactions such as redness of the skin around the nail, hives, and in severe cases even peeling of the skin. In addition to HDDA, gel polish should not contain substances such as:

• toluene (used to help gel polish apply smoothly to the nail plate). High levels of toluene are said to be harmful to the nervous system, and can even lead to delirium and nausea;
• formaldehyde (a known carcinogen that is used in embalming bodies);
• dibutyl phthalate (keeps gel polish from chipping, but is still an ingredient).

Beware of Chinese counterfeits!

In Europe and the USA, the production of coloring pigments and the composition of cosmetic products are under strict control. In China, this is not regulated by law. They are chasing cheapness, and therefore gel polishes contain harmful impurities: lead particles and formaldehyde. In addition to allergic reactions and harm to health, such substances, when added to the gel polish formula in large quantities, can strongly pigment natural nails. Many masters believe that if they use a good base for gel polish, they can minimize the negative impact of poor-quality coating. However, it is not. The base prevents direct contact of the colored coating with the nail plate, but does not protect against toxic materials.