Now that you know what to look for in your nails, should you wean yourself off polish for good? Steele says it's important to inspect your bare nails from time to time, but when it comes to long-term nail damage, it's more about the other tools in our nail care regimen, versus giving up your lacquer. First up: nail polish remover. If you or your manicurist is using pure acetone, give it up now. This harsh chemical dries out nails and makes them weaker, so be sure the labels read "acetone-free." Steele also warns against tools (especially mechanical ones) that are used to shape nails and clean up the nail folds. These grind on and stress the nail plate, which makes your nails more vulnerable to infection. Steele also recommends simply switching up your nail polish if you tend to favor dark shades — these stain nails after long periods of time, making it harder to notice texture and color changes in your natural nails. Now about those gel manicures...
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Too Much of a Good Thing?
As with virtually everything great in life, the saying "moderation is key" applies to your gel manicures. "There is definitely UV radiation that comes from the light boxes, which, as we know, is a risk factor for the development of skin cancer." Some companies that produce gel nail polish argue that the dose is very minimal, but Steele reminds us that every little bit adds up over the course of a lifetime, just as skin cancers and sunspots take a while to show up.
Does this mean you're stuck with chipped polish for your health's sake? Not quite, but according to Steele, it's in your best interest to scale back. "I personally love gel nail polish because I like having polished nails, and traditional polish won't stay for more than a day or so with all the hand-washing," Steele admits. Her compromise? Save gel manis for special occasions, and make sure your mani is being cured with an LED light (as opposed to the harmful UV lights many salons use). If you're not sure, wear fingertip-less sun gloves with UPF 50 to provide more reliable (and less-messy) protection than sunscreen. Unfortunately, this still isn't the safest option since they leave your fingertips exposed and vulnerable to cancer. The safest option is — you guessed it — not doing gel polish manicures at all.
