With nail allergies, especially contact dermatitis, on the rise, it’s important to understand the tools and products that are marketed specifically for DIY use. Flash-curing lamps and touchable gel products have become increasingly popular and are often touted by non-professional nail companies as superior to salon alternatives. In this introduction, we’ll explain what flash-curing lamps and touchable gels are, their benefits, and what you should keep in mind to ensure safe and effective use.
Limitations and uses of flash curing lamps in nail care
Flash cure lamps are not designed to properly cure UV Gel materials, they are meant to initiate polymerization, which must be completed with a full cure lamp.
These are useful when applying a fully covered tip – you can hold the tip in place until your other fingers are done and then place your whole hand under the UV lamp to cure properly – you can tell this is nowhere near properly cured as the gel is still soft as the tip comes off easily.
It’s also useful for nail art when you need something with a low viscosity (flowable) to keep your design from moving.
Virtually all UV curing materials require a minimum of 30 seconds, not 60-90, and should not be used for full cure. Cure times less than this are very rare, and should not be suspect even if the manufacturer says so.
Tangible Gel: Care and Use of Foldable UV-Cured Gel
This UV-cured material is foldable, which makes it convenient for certain applications such as intricate 3D nail art. However, it remains in uncured gel and should not come into direct contact with skin to prevent allergic reactions. It is not suitable for full coverage tips due to the risk of skin exposure in its uncured state.
This gel is also useful for creating 3D nail art. The colored, thick gel can be folded into intricate shapes, but this should always be done with gloves on to avoid contact with skin. Because these gels are thick and opaque, they require a longer cure time than usual to harden properly.
“Touching” is not the right term because touching with unprotected skin is not allowed.
