Post by University of California, Berkeley

💅 Did you know that your gel manicure comes with a warning? The LED UV light used to harden them may increase the risk of skin cancer. A UC Berkeley chemist has a solution. Magan’s HandShield™ is a spray-on liquid that helps protect the skin from cancer-causing ultraviolet rays (UVA) emitted by LED lamps used to cure and harden gel nails, without interfering with the hardening of the gel. The liquid comes in a travel-sized spray container that, if applied thoroughly, can last for about 25 applications to hands or feet. The idea came to Alexander Katz, a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, while he was working with the antioxidant mineral cerium carbonate. Since the mineral doesn’t penetrate the skin and doesn’t dissolve in water, he thought it would make a great spray-on liquid for short-term skin protection — like the time it takes to harden gel nails. Just spray it on, rub it over your hand or foot, and you’ll protect your skin from the LED lamp’s UVA rays during your next appointment. [Video description: A woman visits a nail salon to get a manicure, showing how to use a spray-on hand protectant. Supporting visuals appear alongside her voiceover when introducing the researcher and explaining the science.] #UCBerkeley #BornatBerkeley #GelNails

Video Content