Ask a Beauty Editor: Are Gel Nails Bad for You?

Beauty experts weigh in on the pros and cons of gel nail polish.

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  • Heather Reynosa is the OPI Global education design director.
  • Jin Soon Choi is a celebrity manicurist and the founder of JINsoon Spas and JINsoon Nail Lacquer.
  • Harikiran Chekuri, MBBS, MS, is a dermatologist, cosmetic surgeon, and the medical head of ClinicSpots.
  • Shelena Robinson is a OPI global education manager.
hand with manicure nails in gel polish lamp
Galina Kiseleva/Real Simple

Reader question: Are gel manicures actually bad for my nails? Should I be taking a break in between? —Rita Watson

I'm a serial gel manicure wearer. As someone who is very hands-on in her lifestyle, the promise of a chip-free, virtually indestructible manicure is enticing. My back-to-back gel manicure appointments came to a temporary halt when I realized that my nail beds were becoming extremely thin and brittle. Although I initially assumed that this was from the polish itself, the true culprit was my careless removal process. Gel polish requires a lot of effort and time commitment to remove—usually involving soaking nails in acetone—and I'd gotten lazy, sometimes peeling them off. (FYI, this is the most egregious nail sin.)

When I started getting my gel nails properly removed at a salon on a regular basis, my nail health recovered—and today they're stronger than ever. In fact, dare I say, they're longer and overall healthier than my pre-gel days. But don't just take it from me. I asked a handful of nail experts, "So, are gel nails bad for you?" And here's what they had to say to back up my observations about gel nail polish.

Gel Nail Polish

Gel nail polish is a type of nail polish that, unlike regular nail polish, is meant to last weeks without chipping or peeling. That's because it is made of acrylic monomers and oligomers, which bond together when cured under a UV or LED light. The finish is thicker, harder, and glossier than regular nail polish.

What Are Gel Nails?

Gel nails are nails that are painted with gel nail polish. They may be painted with either hard or soft gel polish, both of which create a durable and glossy finish. Hard gel polish can create nail extensions, as well, but soft gel polish is more flexible. It can be used as an alternative to traditional nail polish for longer-lasting manicures and pedicures without extensions. Soft gel polish is typically easier to remove than hard gel polish, which requires filing.

Are Gel Manicures Harmful?

Short answer: Depends. Modern gel polish formulas alone (their chemical compositions, that is) are virtually harmless. "Suggestions to let your nails 'breathe' once in a while between manicure services of all types is a myth that's been floating around since the birth of extension services," says Heather Reynosa, OPI Global education design director. "It's important to note that semi-permanent enhancement products—like gel polish—do not harm your nails. In fact, it can help to protect your natural nails from environmental elements."

So why does nail health so often suffer from gel manicures? Reynosa notes that damage that occurs with these services are mainly mechanical, which happens in a few ways. "Roughing up the nail with files not meant for natural nails prior to application, forcefully scraping off product during removal instead of allowing it to release, aggressive filing again after removal, and picking and peeling off the gel polish can all cause damage," they say.

Harikiran Chekuri, MBBS, MS, a dermatologist, cosmetic surgeon, and the medical head of ClinicSpots, adds that the tools used to apply and remove gel nails can cause damage. "If tools are not properly sterilized, there's a risk of fungal or bacterial infections," Chekuri says.

You should also be mindful that the UV or LED lights used to cure gel nail polish both emit UV radiation, which has been linked to both premature skin aging and skin cancer. "While the risk is lower than from sun exposure, prolonged and frequent use could potentially increase the risk of skin cancer," Chekuri explains, adding that repeated exposure to UV rays, even from nail lamps, can also "accelerate skin aging, leading to wrinkles and age spots." Never mind that some people may have or develop allergic reactions to the chemicals the UV curing process.

To help keep your skin safe, the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends that you rub a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen into your hands about 20 minutes before you put them under the light. While this can be difficult to do in the middle of a manicure, you can apply the sunscreen before your appointment.

Never leave a gel manicure on for longer than two to three weeks, even if it still looks intact. "The biggest risk to leaving a gel manicure service on for longer than three weeks is that the extra weight can start pulling on the edge of your nail, causing tears in the base of your nails," says Reynosa. "They can then lift, which peels back keratin layers and causes more mechanical damage." If the price of regular trips to the nail salon is making you want to extend your gel manicure past three weeks, using at-home gel nail polish kits can be a more affordable option.

How to Remove Gel Polish Safely

It's essential that your gel polish is removed with extra care to prevent damage, so take a moment to scope out the salon you're going to.

  • File down the polish. "Acrylic or sculpting gel removal needs to be pre-filed to remove the bulk of the product to get to a layer similar to the thickness of a gel polish coating," says Reynosa.
  • Wrap the nails with 100 percent acetone. Shelena Robinson, OPI global education manager, says: "Proper removal happens when the remover wraps (i.e., foil or cotton) are allowed to stay on for the appropriate amount of time (usually 10 to 15 minutes) and the remover fully penetrates the coating, allowing it to flake away easily with a light touch and a plastic cuticle pusher."
  • Remove the wraps. After taking the wraps off each finger, gently push off the gel polish with a cuticle pusher or orange stick. If the polish is still stubborn, you can rewrap the nail and let it soak in the acetone a little bit longer.
  • Nourish the nails. Once all of the gel polish is successfully removed, you'll want to wash your hands and apply both cuticle oil and moisturizer. These products can help nourish your nails and skin after acetone use.

"If you catch your service provider prying off your manicure products by force, aka using a tip or other tool to slide under the acrylic or gel and 'peel' it off, ask the provider to stop," says Reynosa. "If they don't, leave."

When to Take a Break from Gel Manicures

According to Jin Soon Choi, celebrity manicurist and founder of JINsoon Spas and JINsoon Nail Lacquer, signs that your nails need a break from polish include chipping and peeling nail beds, ragged cuticles, thinning of the nails, dryness, and white spots. If you are experiencing any of these signs, it may be a good time to take a break from gels for a while.

As for the length of time, it depends on the extent of damage done and how fast your nails grow. Nail beds can't be made "thicker," so your best bet is keeping them as hydrated as possible and waiting for the damage to grow out. As a starting point, Choi recommends taking a break from gel for at least two weeks to a month to start seeing a real difference. "For painful, more intense damage from repeated picking and peeling, it can take anywhere from four to eight weeks to grow the nails back out," says Reynosa.

To accelerate the waiting period, applying a good cuticle oil is key. "If your nails have gotten too dry and the splitting/peeling is really obvious, cut them down and keep applying cuticle oil on bare nails for a week or so—they should bounce back quickly and be polish-ready after that," says Reynosa. It also couldn't hurt to treat your skin with some nourishing hand cream.

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Sources
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  1. "Ask the Expert: Are the UV Lamps in the Dryers at the Nail Salon Safe to Use?" The Skin Cancer Foundation. Jan. 2023.

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