UV nail dryers damage DNA and cause mutations

Researchers at the University of California have discovered that using nail polish dryers with UV rays causes cell death and DNA mutations that can cause cancer, according to Europa Press.

The use of these devices by manicurists is very common and the devices generally use a certain range of UV light, from 340 to 395 nanometers (wavelength), to dry the chemical products used to coat nails with gel varnishes.

The study, published Tuesday in the scientific journal Nature Communications, showed that the use of UV-emitting desiccants resulted in “20% to 30% cell death in a 20-minute session” and that “three consecutive 20-minute exposures .min caused the death of between 65% and 70% of the exposed cells.”

That is, some DNA damage is not repaired over time, resulting in mutations.

“These devices are marketed as safe (…). But so far, to our knowledge, no one has studied them or the way they affect human cells at the molecular and cellular level,” warned one of the study’s authors. study, Ludmil Alexandrov, professor of bioengineering and cellular and molecular medicine at the University of California San Diego.

Scientists also compared the danger of dryers with that of tanning machines, which emit ultraviolet light, which has been scientifically proven to be a carcinogen.

The study also made it possible to note that UV exposure also damaged mitochondria (a part of the cell important for respiration and energy exchange) and cell DNA and “caused mutations in patterns that can be seen in skin cancer.”

However, the researchers cautioned that although the results show the harmful effects of frequent use of the devices on human cells, a long-term epidemiological study is needed to conclude that this increases the risk of skin cancer.

Maria Zhivago, another author of the study and a fan of this type of nail polish, said she wouldn’t wait. Given the research results, which he considered alarming, he decided to stop using this technique on his nails.