What are gel nails? Gel nails are a type of manicure that uses gel polish and a UV/LED lamp for curing. First, a nail technician preps your nails and cuticles, buffing them before applying the base coat. Once a base coat is applied, the nails go under the UV/LED light. Next, a layer of gel polish is applied and cured, optionally followed by a LED lights give off lower levels of UV radiation than a UV curing light. An LED light also hardens the polish faster. An LED light also hardens the polish faster. That lowers the amount of time BIGBEAR UV Light for Nails, 48W UV LED Nail Lamp for Gel Polish, Fast Nail Dryer with Automatic Sensor, 3 Timer Setting, Small and Portable, LED Nail Light for Fingernail and Toenail Nail BellaNails Professional UV Light Nail Lamp, 4 Time Presets and Auto Shutoff, UV LED Nail Lamp for Gel Nail Polish Including Shellac (120W) "The UV light immediately adheres the gel to your nail bed by hardening with a thirty-second to one-minute dry time," said Bell. There are two types of gels that are popular at nail salons today UV nail lamps work by emitting ultraviolet light, which initiates a chemical reaction in the gel nail polish that causes it to harden and become more durable. The UV light activates photo initiators in the gel nail polish, which in turn start a chain reaction that results in the hardening of the gel. Zhivagui notes that nail salons typically have UV devices that are more potent than the one used in the study, meaning that even if they are used for less time in the salon than in the lab, the energy of the exposure could be higher. The study shows that repeated exposure to UV light has a damaging effect on human cells. But UV light is still essential to any gel manicure. A study published earlier this year in Nature Communications (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35876-8 ) found that an LED nail dryer caused DNA damage Aokitec UV Light for Nails - Mini UV LED Nail Lamp Portable Nail Dryer for UV Gel Polish Nail Glue Gel Mouse Shape Small Size with USB Cable for Curing All Nail Gels (Pink) Home DIY Mani 3.9 out of 5 stars 10,573 Mbj0Au.