Why I'd Never Get a Gel Manicure

It’s an essential part of my self-care routine: Getting my nails done. While I’m usually so busy that it’s not uncommon for my nails to pass their “expiration date,” I’m fortunate to live mostly in NYC, where you’ll find a nail salon on every block.

Every two weeks (okay, four), I’ll rush in, pick my color (I alternate between Essie Sheer Fantasy and Essie Wicked), and then plop down for 45 minutes of uninterrupted bliss.

But the one thing that’s never part of this ritual? A gel manicure.

I know, I know—if you love your gel, this is probably the absolute last thing you want to hear. But let me share what the dermatology literature says about the potential risks, and then you can decide for yourself.

Ready? Here goes:

1. UV Radiation Exposure

The most obvious one! Those purple lights used to make your manicure glossy emit UVA radiation, and that can come with consequences such as:

• Increased Risk of Skin Cancer: UVA radiation plays a role in the pathogenesis (i.e., how a disease develops) of skin cancer. While the exposure from a single manicure is low, repeated exposure can increase the chances of squamous cell carcinoma—a common but treatable skin cancer—and melanoma, a more serious form of skin cancer.
• Photoaging: UVA rays deeply penetrate the skin, which causes alterations to our dermal connective tissue. As a result? UVA exposure can lead to premature skin aging, known as photoaging. This process leads to wrinkles, pigmentation, and thinning skin.

2. Allergic and Contact Dermatitis

Next is a risk I see little mention of: Allergic reactions—including ones that could even complicate future medical procedures.

• Contact Dermatitis: The ingredients in gel polish, such as acrylates and methacrylates, can cause allergic contact dermatitis (Canadian Medical Association Journal, 2017). Symptoms may include redness, swelling, itching, burning, and blistering around the nail or fingertips.
• Chronic Dermatitis: Once your body develops a reaction, it doesn’t just “go away.” These allergies can last a lifetime and extend beyond nail products, triggering reactions to things like dental adhesives or surgical glues, which can potentially complicate dental or orthopedic procedures down the road.

3. Carcinogen Risk

It’s not just the UVA radiation that can cause problems: It’s the possible inhalation of fumes and particulate matter from the gel polish itself:

• Chemical Exposure: The ingredients inside gel polish—acrylate and methacrylate—are designated as probable human carcinogens (i.e., cancer-causing agents). While the exact dose needed to pose a serious risk hasn’t yet been determined, breathing in these fumes—as well as direct contact with the nail beds—is less than ideal.

4. Nail Damage and Infection

The last reason defeats the whole point of getting a gel manicure—because, over time, it can make my nails look worse!

• Nail Weakening and Brittleness: Ever noticed how in gel manicures, they use an electric nail file to roughen the nail surface before applying the gel (to help it stick)? Unsurprisingly, this mechanical scraping—plus the acetone soaking—gives us the exact opposite of what we want (strong nails!).
• Infection Risk: The downsides of these manicure instruments don’t stop there. If improperly sterilized, they can lead to bacterial or fungal infections.

So…Should I Never Get a Gel Manicure Again?

I’ll never tell you what to do (or not). I’m only here to give my opinion.

But if I was your doctor? I’d say the risk of ruining your hands and endangering your health is definitely not worth the convenience of a gel manicure.

If you don’t want to part ways with gel, be sure to watch your manicurist open clean instruments in front of you. The cleaner the instruments, the lower the chance of landing a bacterial or viral infection.

What I do? I get a regular manicure about twice a month. And at least once a year, I forgo the polish for 2-4 weeks to let my nail beds breathe (though, trust me, the bare toes are not a pretty sight!). And in the winter—AKA dry skin season—I’ll massage olive and tea tree oil into my nails.

Now, if you excuse me, I have some bare toes to hide.

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