'I'm a nail expert - here's why your gel manicure should never burn'

Getting your done can be a real treat, but have you ever experienced a sharp burning sensation as the gel polish is curing? There's no better feeling than having a fresh , but the serious heat spikes can make it an uncomfortable experience.

According to a nail , the heat burn shouldn't happen, and has revealed what it means if you feel like your nails are on fire under the UV lamp.

While it can be worrying, and can feel like your nails are damaging, nail technician has given the low down on why we can experience heat spikes mid way through our manicures - and how it can be avoided.

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Iram said the intense warming or burning sensation when you get gel or builder gel on your nails usually happens with thicker gel products. When the gel is exposed to the LED or UV lamp, a chemical reaction called "polymerisation happens" according to the expert - which is what creates the heat.

It can be painful to some people, but you shouldn't fight through it,. Iram said it can happen if the layer of gel is too thick, the reaction happens quickly, and it causes heat to build up quickly and hit the nail bed, and Iram added this heat spike is caused by "incorrect product application and curing times" and said it's "not meant to happen".

She told that while they heat spikes are not ideal, "don't panic because it doesn't automatically mean your nails are damaged. However, repeated or extreme heat spikes can cause discomfort, sensitivity, and in rare cases, damage to the natural nail if it's been over-filed or already weakened. It's definitely something to flag with your nail tech if it happens often."

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The expert said there are a few things you can do during your mani to prevent or stop a heat spike. She first suggested that your manicurist should apply products in thinner layers - especially with builder gel or gel overlays. She also recommended having a "flash cure" and explained: "pop your hand in the lamp for just a couple of seconds, pull it out, then cure again fully. This helps ease your nails into the heat."

She also said make sure you tell your nail tech, as a good technician will be able to adjust the application. But if you experience a burn she urged people to pull your hand out straight away - don't fight through it as you can cure in shorter bursts instead.

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, award-winning nail artist and technician, echoed this and told this burning sensation is due to the exothermic reactions. The expert explained: "They occur when tiny molecules bond together and harden or 'cure'. With gel polish, hard gel and builder gel, bonding happens when your nails are under the UV/LED lamp.

A slight warm sensation is normal when curing gel polish under UV light, but intense heat spikes are characterised by a burning sensation that can be distressing. Metta further detailed that a number of things can exacerbate heat spikes including how the manicure is done.

Manicurist says that a thicker layer of gel may need a longer curing time, which can worsen the hot sensation. Streets adds that reactions to specific ingredients in certain polishes, such as HEMA (hydroxyethyl methacrylate, a common (meth)acrylate that can cause allergic sensitisation), can also intensify heat spikes and severe discomfort, resulting in swelling, redness, itching or rashes around the nails or on surrounding skin.

Do you have a story to share? Email us at niamh.kirk@reachplc.com

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