Inspiration | 09.15.25

Gel nail polish at RG Spa

What’s the deal with gel nail polish?

I love gel nail polish for its quick drying action and shiny and long-lasting look, but I was confused and, frankly, a bit scared by the information in the news and on social media lately. So I did some reading. There is a lot of information out there, so I have used links and references where I can. Please remember, I AM NOT AN EXPERT here. I am a spa owner and we offer Orly gel manicures and pedicures. And more importantly, I am a client who personally gets gel manicures and pedicures about 4-5 times per year. 

I wanted to look into the two main things I have been hearing about: the EU ban on gel polish and the risk of skin cancer with UV lights.

What was banned in the EU?

On September 1, the EU announced a ban on gel polishes containing a specific ingredient—trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide (TPO). Effective immediately, gel polishes with TPO will no longer be legal to sell to consumers or use in salons across the EU. The new restrictions in Europe do not mean gel polish itself is prohibited; only products containing the ingredient TPO.

Why wasn’t it banned in Canada?

The best article I have found explaining this is here: https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/article/this-gel-manicure-ingredient-was-banned-in-the-eu-why-not-in-canada/ A summary is the way that the EU vs Health Canada rate risk. As far as I can read, the major study the EU used had very high doses of TPO being ingested in rats causing fertility problems. But in gel nail manicures, the ingredient is not ingested or at high concentrations. 

What else does the science say?

The hard part is sorting through all the information out there. Much of it looks very real and scientific but studies are not all alike, and as we know, there can be bias hidden to look official. A great in depth article and Youtube video that I enjoyed is from LabMuffin (link below), which I fully realize does not sound very official! Some other points that were covered included:

  1. UV Light and Skin Safety
    Gel nails need special lights (UV or LED) to dry the polish. These lights give small amounts of UV rays—sort of like gentle sunshine. Scientists say that one or two gel manicures don’t bring big harm. But if someone gets them all the time, they might add up and possibly affect your skin over many years WebMD+2University of Utah Healthcare+2. Most of the studies show that the dosage and intensity of intermittent gel nail polish use is much less harmful than longer normal exposure to winter and summer sun, and certainly less than using a tanning bed, which I did for years when I was younger and we didn’t know any better yet. 

Different studies have calculated non-melanoma skin cancer risk in various ways, and they’re all very low:

Diffey (2012), 1 fluorescent lamp (2 x 9W bulbs):Sunlight is 1.7 times more carcinogenic, 1 additional skin cancer case in 44,000 to 396,000 people, after 5 to 40 years of manicures every 3 weeks (8 minutes total exposure)

Dowdy and Sayre (2013), 3 fluorescent and 3 LED lamps: Non-melanoma skin cancer risk is 11 to 46 times less than overhead sunlight, and 3 to 12 times less than mid-angle sunlight It would take 2.4 to 22.4 hours to reach the FDA’s maximum daily exposure time for tanning beds (versus <10 minutes of exposure for a manicure)

Baeza and coworkers (2018), 22 fluorescent, 3 combo and 3 LED lamps: UV index (reflects erythemal UV, mostly UVB) is less than 2, which is noon in winter in Barcelona

Ford and coworkers (2021), 7 LED and 1 fluorescent home lamps: It would take 38 to 197 minutes to reach the IRPA/ICNIRP occupational exposure limits for UV 

  1. DNA and Cell Health
    A lab study found that strong UV light from nail dryers can damage skin cells and DNA, which can also lead to skin aging. This was noticed in tests in a lab, but these dryers are stronger than the ones used in salons HICCC New York+1. However, experts still think occasional salon use is low risk.
  2. Chemicals in Gel Polish
    Gel polish contains some chemicals that can sometimes irritate the skin or cause an allergic rash, especially if someone handles it a lot Biology Insights+1. Good news: there are newer formulas that don’t use a common “photoinitiator” called TPO, which the EU just banned because it might affect fertility in animal tests Axios+1.
  3. Keeping Nails Strong
    Taking gel polish off the right way matters a lot! If people peel or scrape it off, nails can get cracked or brittle Nailicy+1. The best method is to soak your nails in acetone gently or let a trained nail tech take it off. Also, giving your nails a weekly break between gel sessions helps them grow stronger Medical News Today+1.

Ways to Stay Safer 

If you decide to, you can still enjoy gel nails! Here are smart, simple steps:

  • Put on broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF 30 or more) before the nail polish part of your session. At RG Spa we have Coola.
  • Use fingerless UV-protective gloves so only your nails get the light. We have some available to use upon request. 
  • Choose LED light curing if possible. It gives off less UV than older lamps Harvard Health+1. At RG Spa we use Skyline LED/UV lamps. 
  • Space out or alternate your gel manicures—for example, take a 1–2 week break between them so your nails can rest and rehydrate or alternate with regular polish except the times you really want it to last
  • Get gel removal done by a professional to avoid damage from scraping or picking to keep your nails strong and healthier. We offer free gel removal for any sessions done at RG Spa.
  • Look for chemical and TPO-free polishes now that safer options are growing. The Orly gel we use at RG Spa does not specifically list TPO, but for sure lists that they are 13 chemical free, vegan, cruelty-free and never tested on animals.
  • Consider your personal risk if you are on medication that make you light sensitive or if you have a history or family history of cancer or skin conditions. 

Only you can analyze your own risk and decide for yourself. Whatever you choose, know that we are constantly doing our research to keep RG Spa as safe and up to date as possible. Because we use our spa services too!

All the best,

Heidi

Besides ones that are linked above, here are some references I used:

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