I saw a picture circulating on the Internet showing a dark stripe running the length of the nail plate that was supposed to be nail cancer caused by a UV nail lamp. Is this possible?
I saw the picture as well and was asked this question by nail technicians in seven countries. The dark stripe was about the width of a drinking straw. The message attached to this image incorrectly identified this stripe as “nail cancer” caused by UV nail lamps. It was posted by someone claiming to be a friend of the person with the nail stripe, but no other information was provided. The image and message were repeated widely on the Internet, even though there was no information to back up this silly and highly speculative claim. Even so, many websites pounced on this as if it were fact, when actually this is a prime example of fake news and shows how fake news can unfairly harm your business.
Unmasking the Motivation Behind Unfounded Nail Lamp Claims
Personally, I am convinced this particular piece of “fake information” was planted by fear-based activists for the purpose of misleading the public about UV nail lamps. Yes, I’ve seen this done many times before by these fear-based activists. This was a crazy claim, with NO supporting evidence, but evidence isn’t needed if the goal is to create irrational fear.
Dispelling Myths: Understanding the True Causes of Dark Nail Streaks
Here are the facts, dark streaks like this are a relatively common condition that occurs on the hands and feet of men, women and children who have never been to a nail salon so it is NOT caused by UV lamps and there is no reason to believe this can occur.
These dark stripes are very common around the world, mostly to those with dark skin and are relatively uncommon to those with pale skin. Many things can lead to the occurrence of these dark stripes, they happen when the cells in the nail matrix begin to produce melanin. This can be a result of pregnancy, nail biting, carpal tunnel syndrome, psoriasis, viral warts, hyperthyroidism, exposure to x-rays, phototherapy, medications, excessive iron in the diet, and many other things. In rare cases this could indicate the existence of a tumour, but these are FAR more likely caused by recreational sun exposure- not UV nail lamps.
UV Nail Lamps: Separating Fact from Fiction in Nail Health Concerns
The nail plate has a high natural SPF that protects the nail bed and the matrix is buried under a thick layer of skin, so it’s VERY unlikely that UV nail lamps would cause such issues. These UV lamps have been repeatedly demonstrated to be safe as used. In short, there is no reason to believe this story no reason to believe this dark stripe was caused by a UV nail lamp, and there is no reason to believe the person who posted this information. Especially since she refuses to return my e-mails or communicate with anyone else who tried to contact her and follow up on these claims.
Personally, I suspect this is an entirely made-up story, which would mean those behind this nonsense were INTENTIONALLY trying to harm the business of salons everywhere. That’s becoming commonplace. Fear-based activists regularly attack the nail industry with misinformation to sow fear and they often dupe the news media into spreading their trickery. That’s why it is so important that nail professionals become more educated about the nail and nail products, so they can fight back against these tricky deceptions. Don’t be fooled, get the facts from someone who knows.
Empower Your Nail Expertise with ‘Face-to-Face with Doug Schoon
I create the ‘Face-to-Face with Doug Schoon’ book series to equip nail professionals with accurate information and dispel internet myths. Don’t let misinformation misguide you; empower yourself with knowledge. Explore my eBook series at https://nailknowledge.org/shop for the facts you need.
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