London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Will Gel Manicures Ruin Your Nails?

Will Gel Manicures Ruin Your Nails?

We demanded answers from an expert.

Gel manicures are the source of many a beauty urban legend. Some people claim that gel manicures are responsible for their flaky nail beds, their weakened nails, their irritable mood, their recent breakup, etc.

Others rave about their gel manicure experiences, from the lack of chipping to the dreamy shine that lasts weeks. The time has come to ask the question: Is it gel nail polish, or is it you? In other words, do gel manicures really "ruin" your nails, or is it just user error?

To find out once and for all, I chatted with Dana Stern, MD, dermatologist and nail specialist in New York City, to get some legitimate answers. I had many questions, from "are gel nail polishes actually worse than regular nail polishes?" to "why do some people have horror stories about them?" Here's what Stern said.

There’s a big difference between gels and regular polish.


Okay, so at least we’re not completely off-base. “Gel technology is unique because although it applies like a traditional nail lacquer, the gel has a chemical composition that enables it to harden or cure to a glossy finish with a UV light, which prevents the need to sit and wait for it to dry,” says Dr. Stern.

The UV threat isn’t as scary as you’d think.


Although gel manis require exposure to UV light (regardless of whether it’s a UVA lamp or an LED lamp), which can contribute to skin damage, don’t worry: “A study quantified the skin cancer risk of these devices and determined that even if you were to have a gel manicure every week, your chances of developing skin cancer would not be increased,” says Dr. Stern. Still, she adds, more research needs to be done.

“We dermatologists tend to be cautiously optimistic people, but I still advise protecting your hands or feet with either a broad-spectrum sunscreen applied 15 minutes before exposure, or using either fingertip-less gloves or pedicure socks in order to protect the skin on the hands and feet from the aging effects of UV light,” she says.

Some gels are way more damaging than others.


Surprise! There are two different types of gels you can receive in salons: soft gels and hard gels. “Hard gels are the traditional gels of the 1980s that are impermeable to acetone and need to be filed off, while soft gels are the newer ‘soak-off’ gels that can be removed without aggressive scraping,” says Dr. Stern.

Unsurprisingly, hard gels are way more damaging than soft gels, although even soak-off gels will likely cause some issues from the 10-minute (or more!) acetone soak.


Still, all gel manicures can mess up your nails.


Yup, sorry—it’s true. They’re not great for your nails. “A study out of Miami School of Medicine used ultrasound to demonstrate that that gel manicures do cause nail thinning,” says Dr. Stern, noting that the exact reason for the thinning was unclear to the authors, though it’s likely due to either the acetone soak that’s required to remove the gel, or the actual chemical composition of the gel polish.



“Another cause may be if the gels are incorrectly removed,” she says. Which, if you’ve ever scrubbed at your regular polish with some acetone, you already know how drying it after just a few minutes. “My personal opinion—and what I have observed in my practice—is that most of the damage is from the removal process, especially if manufacturer’s instructions are not followed, or two different brands are mixed and used.”

But not all hope is lost.


I’m not saying you’ve gotta swear off gels for the rest of your life, but if you are worried about the possible nail damage, there are a few things you can try to mitigate the effects. “Before the manicure, ask how the product will be removed and make sure that they won’t be using a gritty file, sander, or other tool to vigorously scrape the product off,” says Dr. Stern. “Gel polish should come off easily after soaking in acetone, and these methods can cause tremendous, and sometimes irreversible, damage to the nail and cuticles.”

And, she adds, you need to be your own advocate in the salon, because nobody else cares as much about your nails as you do. “If it’s not easy, something is wrong, and you should speak up.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×