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Artificial ultraviolet-A light used in tanning booths has been tied to skin cancer risk. Due to the concerns over UVA light exposure, researchers have been curious to find out if nail salon drying lamps that expose a small portion of the body to UVA light can also increase cancer risk. In a new study, researchers found that being exposed to UVA light is linked to a small risk of cancer.

In this study, the researchers from Georgia Regents University in Augusta examined 17 different kinds of UV nail lamps. Nail lamps emit UVA light to help dry regular nail polish and harden gel manicures. The researchers specifically looked at the varying levels of UV radiation exposure. The researchers found that in eight minutes, the skin was exposed to different levels of radiation ranging from less than one to eight joules per centimeter squared. Radiation levels also varied depending on how the machine was set up.

"There is a vast range in the amount of light coming out of these devices," said Dr. Lyndsay R. Shipp, the study's lead author and a postgraduate resident at the university's Medical College of Georgia reported by the New York Times.

The researchers stated that UV exposure must reached 60 joules per centimeter squared in order to cause any DNA damage that would lead to skin cancer. Even though the lamps' UV light levels never reached that high, the team estimated that for some of the lamps tested, people's risk of DNA damage would increase after eight to 14 visits over the span of 24 to 42 months.

"Considering the low UV-A energy exposure in an average manicure visit, multiple visits would be required to reach the threshold for potential DNA damage," the authors concluded according to Philly.

Dr. Shipp added, "There is a theoretical risk, but it's very low."

Even though the findings concluded that the risk of skin cancer is very low, there have been a few cases of women who developed squamous cell skin cancers on their hands. These cases did not name UV nail light devices as the main cause but they did note a strong correlation between skin cancer and exposure to light from the devices.

The study was published in JAMA Dermatology.