Magazine for the professional nail industry.
Issue link: http://nailsmag.epubxp.com/i/97567
Bulbs — Plus Germ Killer Afordable and reliable, UV Gel Curing Bulbs from Purely Products are high-quality lamps for gel nail dryers and UV-curing lamps. These UV-A gel lamps are warranted for up to 8,000 hours of normal usage. As part of the product launch, the company is giving salons a free Pocket Purifier — a UV-C germicidal handheld germ killer — with a qualifying order. This handy UV-C light kills 99.9% of the germs that cause colds and flu, as well as MRSA (staph), E. coli, salmonella, mold, and fungus, according to the company. Just run it over hard surfaces for 10-15 seconds about an inch above the surface and the UV light deactivates the DNA so the germs cannot multiply. To get wholesale pricing on the bulbs, nail professionals should call (866) 324-2970 or e-mail sales@purelyproducts.com. For more information, go to www.nailsmag.com/fifi/11453. Q { QA } AND I have a few clients who swim or do water aerobics a few times a week. They have a lot of trouble with keeping polish on and their nails becoming dry. They peel and split. Is there anything I can do, or tell them to do, to help this problem? So far I have just told them to apply cuticle oil every night before bed to try to hydrate the nails. Frequent exposure to water definitely contributes to peeling and splitting (brittle nails). This is because the nails can absorb water even more readily than the skin and when water goes in and out of the nails, the small cells that make up the nail (onychocytes) expand and contract. This constant change in water content puts a tremendous strain on the bonds between these cells and results in a weakening of the nail, which is what we observe when we see peeling and splitting. Swimming and water aerobics are great exercise and your clients should certainly continue to enjoy these activities. They should, however, be sure to wear gloves for added protection when doing additional wet work such as washing dishes. Nail polish is actually protective for those who swim because it helps to reinforce the weak bonds between the cells within the nail. Your clients' nails may be worse without polish. — Dana Stern, M.D. is a board-certified dermatologist specializing in nails. She works in private practice in New York City. Have a health question? (about salon safety and sanitation, nail disorders, science, etc.) E-mail it to Judy.Lessin@bobit.com and check back here for an expert answer. www.nailsmag.com/fifi/11128 JANUARY 2013 | NAILS MAGAZINE | 133