How can I Protect Myself During a Gel Manicure

Gel manicures are a durable, inexpensive, and fashionable way to do your nails. These manicures can be tough on your nails and hands. Protecting and hydrating your cuticles are key to nail care. Because the skin on your hands is very delicate, you can invest in proper tools, lamps, and sunscreens to prepare your nails for gel polish. Fortunately, there are simple measures you can take to keep your nails as healthy as possible. 

Nail Preparation

If you’re doing your gel manicure at home or in a salon, there are steps you can take to ensure the health of your skin and nails. Take the following steps to protect yourself through every stage of your manicure, from nail preparation to removal.

Clean and disinfect nail tools. 

The skin on your hands and around your nails is very delicate. When scraping at the nail plate or treating cuticles, you might cut yourself and expose your body to bacteria. You can prevent infections by ensuring your nail tools are cleaned and sterilized. This can be done quickly by washing your tools with soap and water, followed by disinfecting them with isopropyl alcohol. This step is essential at nail salons where nail artists see multiple clients daily; to prevent the spread of infections and fungus, ensure your nail tools are clean. 

Push, don’t cut, your cuticles. 

Cuticles are important protective barriers to your nails. You may want to cut off dry and damaged cuticles before applying nail polish. Removing overgrown cuticles before a manicure is necessary to ensure the gel nail polish sticks to the nail plate. However, pushing the cuticle back works just as well as cutting them. You can achieve this with a wooden or metal cuticle pusher, gently pushing at the cuticles bordering your nail to expose more of the nail plate. This will give you a larger surface area to apply nail polish while eliminating the risks of inflammation and infection.

Don’t skip sunscreen.

Regular direct exposure to UV and LED light during gel manicures can damage the skin on the back of your hands. This increases the risk of wrinkles, skin thinning, and skin cancer. A study from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons showed that the hands are one of the first body parts to reveal signs of aging. One of the best ways to retain elasticity and volume in the hands is to wear sunscreen, especially underneath a gel lamp. 

Another protective measure to consider is to invest in fingerless gloves. Dermatologists recommended wearing a physical barrier to minimize the effects of carcinogenesis and photoaging caused by UV lamps.

Choose the right lamp. 

Gel polishes are cured by either LED or UV lights. LED lamps have lower radiation levels than UV and are less harmful to your skin. In addition, LED lamps can harden polish in as little as 30 to 45 seconds, while UV lamps take two minutes.