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Ultraviolet (UV) rays from tanning beds increase your risk for skin cancer. So, could this also be true for UV nail lights? These are devices salons used to speed up the drying time of polish.


Deborah F. MacFarlane
, M.D.
, professor in MD Anderson’s Department of Dermatology, believes there may be a cancer tie. In a 2009 paper published in the Archives of Dermatology, she and Carol Alonso, M.D., explain, “It appears that exposure to UV nail lights is a risk factor for the development of skin cancer.”

MacFarlane bases this observation on two women who developed skin cancer on their hands. Both women used UV nail lamps.

Dangerous Manicure – Skin Cancer Risk

Bottom line: “More research needs to be done to confirm there’s a link between UV nail lights and skin cancer,” says MacFarlane. She suggests using non-UV options for drying your nails for now.