However, the chemicals used in acrylic nails are used in gel polishes as well. The biggest concern is acrylates, which bind together to form plastic. These can cause severe reactions by irritating customers' skin. Such problems as itching, burning, contact dermatitis, scaling, blistering, hives and eczema have been associated with use of acrylates and gel polishes.

Beyond the acrylates, the gel process uses pre-mixed acrylic gel applied to natural nails, then “curing” the nails under a UV light. This treatment can be repeated three times or more in order to put down a solid foundation, but UV light is a big problem. UV light has been shown to be a human carcinogen that causes skin cancer, and repeated exposure to it heightens the risk.

While there are those who claim the low exposure at most nail salons would take centuries to have any effect, there are others who point to commercial tanning facilities, which have high incidents of skin cancer. However, nails have one added factor that the tanning salons don’t – they are mixing UV rays with nail polish chemicals. There haven’t been any long-term studies about the effects of prolonged exposure to these chemicals to UV rays, but experts' heightened suspicions should raise alarms.

Finally, there’s the question about whether the treatments are damaging people’s real nails beyond repair. There are incidents where real nails become extremely brittle, lose their thickness, start cracking and have skin peeling around the edges. Worse, if you seek to remove the gel manicure, you have to soak in the chemical solution acetone for up to 15 minutes. Plus, artificial nails are prone to bacterial infections growing beneath the real nail.

Look for Brands

If you still wish to have your nails treated, then look for salons that are transparent. You should be able to see clearly marked brand names on the products that are being used to treat your nails, not unmarked containers. You also should be impressed with the cleanliness of the shop and the professionalism of employees. This is particularly true in locations where price is the main incentive to get customers in the door. As with most things, you get what you pay for, and the corners that are cut to achieve a certain price point may put your health at risk.