A woman in Illinois is warning others about the dangers of gel manicures claiming that the UV lamps at the nail salon gave her cancer.

Karolina Jasko, 20, told WFLD that she was diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer. Jasko says that her doctor said it was most likely caused by getting her nails done at the nail salon. Specifically, Jasko claims the cancer was caused by the lamp that emits UVA rays to cure gel manicures.

According to an unrelated report published by the American Academy of Dermatology, UV exposure during gel manicures should be a concern for everyone, but especially for people who are highly sensitive to UV light. Chris G. Adigun, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in nail disorders, says that although the UVA rays don’t burn the skin like UVB rays, they do penetrate the skin to damage DNA and collagen, which can lead to premature aging and may increase skin cancer risk. 

Dr. Adigun says that a common misconception people believe is that LED curing lamps provide a safer option at nail salons, however, those lamps also emit UVA light.

“The UV dose that you receive during a gel manicure is brief, but it’s intense,” Dr. Adigun says. “Over time, this intense exposure can add up to cause skin damage.”

In order to protect your skin, doctors urge customers that get gel manicures quite frequently to wear YouVeeShield. Click here for more information.