Nail lamp safety: found out the hard way my old one was burning clients

Used the same UV lamp for gel nails for like 4 years without thinking twice. Then a client came in last Tuesday with a red burn line right under where the lamp sat during her cure. I finally tested the output with a little UV meter card and it was pumping out way more than the gel actually needed. Switched to a new LED lamp with a timer and built-in sensor and I'm checking the wattage on every new polish now. Anyone else ever think their gear was fine until someone got hurt or is it just me?

2 comments

2 Comments

wren9763d ago

Honestly I used to be like "eh it's fine, UV is UV" but reading this makes me rethink that whole mindset. I had a cheap lamp from Amazon for like two years and never even checked the bulbs until a friend mentioned her skin felt tight after I did her nails. That burn line story really hits hard though I can totally see how that would happen without realizing it. Now I'm looking at my own setup wondering if I should grab one of those test strips before I ruin someone's day. What kind of wattage do the newer LED lamps usually put out compared to the old UV ones?

the_jennifer3d ago

My old lamp was probably cooking peoples' fingers and I had no idea until a client said her cuticles felt "weird" after a session. Now I'm that person who tests everything with a little meter like a nail tech detective.