Some kinds of danger are apt to lurk in the most innocent environment, and it looks like the next one may be quite close: in beauty salons. There is a warning out to the effect that the ultra-violet light that is used on your hands to help fix artificial nails could cause proliferation of cancer on the skin. Inspecting two women with malignant tumors on their hands doctors are reported to have tracked down the cause of their illness to the beauty salons where they had been having their nails fixed.
The ultra-violet lamps that are suspected to be the source of the danger are common things that can be found in any beauty salon. Being cheap, they are often purchased for home use.
The University of Texas dermatologists assert that careful investigation is due to ascertain of the safety of UV nail lamps. Dr Deborah MacFarlane already voiced her strong opinion that “exposure to UV light is a major risk factor for the development of skin cancer”. But it is not yet endorsed by all experts. Caroline Cerny, cancer researcher, is more cautious about it, saying that it’s too early to be certain of the threat. Still there are grounds for anxiety. “But we know that overexposure to artificial sources of UV radiation, such as sunbeds, can increase the risk of skin cancer”, Ms Cerny adds. “So there is no reason to believe that nail lights won’t pose a similar risk”.
Another, and a graver, risk to which beauty salon customers are subjected is nail technicians whose insufficient or poor training leads to their employing dangerous chemicals that can harm respiratory system or cause skin allergies.
Source of the image: flickr.com/photos/tangaroo.
