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Original poster

11 year old has done her own nails with UV lamp

141 replies

Ponchodreams · 25/10/2025 18:41

Im so shocked that she has done this AIBU? Surely this isn't normal for someone of this age to have access to this kit? Am I completely over-reacting? Please tell me i am as I'm very unpopular right now! This is in light of all the allergy stories I have read and damage to nails etc.

OP posts:
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99bottlesofkombucha · 27/10/2025 12:26

FlyingSolo16 · 25/10/2025 20:04

At 11 I cut myself baby bangs out of about half my head of hair because I was convinced it would look good.

Kids do stuff. Live and let live I say

Ugly at the time but totally harmless. Snogging boys as others say is also on its own quite harmless. Gel nails however may not be harmless. No you don’t want your child downing three quarters of a bottle of vodka in a park and having unprotected sex at 13, but why do some posters think that makes gel nails fine? They are a completely unnecessary risk for children that age.

Soontobe60 · 27/10/2025 12:11

And here - a week after the polish was removed. It took 18 months for my nails to grow back.

11 year old has done her own nails with UV lamp
Soontobe60 · 27/10/2025 12:08

Here’s what allergic reactions to gel polish can do to your nails… these were taken the day I had the polish removed. All the white bits dropped off. It’s a life long allergy.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65273991

11 year old has done her own nails with UV lamp
11 year old has done her own nails with UV lamp
11 year old has done her own nails with UV lamp
11 year old has done her own nails with UV lamp
Soontobe60 · 27/10/2025 12:03

Jamfirstest · 25/10/2025 18:55

I bought my dd a uv lamp and the gel kit when she was that age. Should I resign as a parent?
shes 13 now. I also allow her to order all manner of eyelash extensions which she wears to school.

I’ll get my coat….

Oh Dear…

BeretRaspberry · 27/10/2025 11:59

pollymere · 27/10/2025 11:37

The polish doesn't damage your nails and the UV lamp is pretty harmless. If you're worried you can put suncream on first.

What damages the nails is that salons tend to file the actual nail surface to make it stick better. You really don't need to do this. A light file with a regular file is fine. They tend to use diamond files used for acrylics.

Your DD will be fine.

To remove the polish put on acetone based nail varnish remover. The same we've been using on our nails since the 1980s. Leave it to soak and then wipe off using make up remover pads or kitchen roll.

As others have said, the polish contains ingredients that can cause allergies. And those allergies can have serious repercussions later on. Most allergies are caused by incorrect curing or the product getting on the skin.

I’d bet on the fact that the children applying the polish in this case, won’t have been able to do so without touching the skin and I’d also bet that the equipment won’t have cured the product properly. There’s a reason why the companies (CND, for example) only sell to professionals and that they advocate using their own lamps with their own products - and that’s because they’ve been rigorously tested to ensure when they’re applied and cured as per their instructions, they’re cured fully.

I daresay as a one off she’ll be ok, OP, but I wouldn’t be happy either.

TeaBiscuitsNaptime · 27/10/2025 11:41

I would talk to the friends parents first before over reacting. It could have been a kids fake UV light. Do your homework first IMO

pollymere · 27/10/2025 11:41

Comefromaway · 26/10/2025 22:39

Gel, even if it’s not builder, is much thicker. Normal nail polish wipes off with remover. Gel doesn’t. It has to be soaked for 10 mins and even then filed/lifted off.

I can tell the difference by looking.

Show quote history

My gel polish is the same thickness as regular polish. It's Mylee. It wipes off with acetone nail polish remover. No soaking. No filing. No lifting.

It does have a better finish than regular polish though and usually I only need one or two coats as opposed to the three I need with regular polish. So you might spot a difference.

RubySquid · 27/10/2025 11:39

Comefromaway · 26/10/2025 22:39

Gel, even if it’s not builder, is much thicker. Normal nail polish wipes off with remover. Gel doesn’t. It has to be soaked for 10 mins and even then filed/lifted off.

I can tell the difference by looking.

Show quote history

OK butvwhy would one type be allowed and not the other. What could the reasoning be

pollymere · 27/10/2025 11:37

The polish doesn't damage your nails and the UV lamp is pretty harmless. If you're worried you can put suncream on first.

What damages the nails is that salons tend to file the actual nail surface to make it stick better. You really don't need to do this. A light file with a regular file is fine. They tend to use diamond files used for acrylics.

Your DD will be fine.

To remove the polish put on acetone based nail varnish remover. The same we've been using on our nails since the 1980s. Leave it to soak and then wipe off using make up remover pads or kitchen roll.

Firealarm1414 · 26/10/2025 23:24

I stopped getting gel polish a couple of years ago after it completely weakened my nails. I had no idea about the allergy thing. I have let my dd get acrylic nails on a couple of occasions. Not anymore after learning about this.

WimbyAce · 26/10/2025 23:11

Ange59 · 26/10/2025 22:33

Wish they were at my school

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Any varnish at all is banned at ours.

QuickPeachPoet · 26/10/2025 23:01

At least they aren't piercing each others' ears with needles, or cutting each others' hair.
Unclench. Most (normal) girls play at makeovers.

Comefromaway · 26/10/2025 22:39

RubySquid · 26/10/2025 22:30

How do the school know just by looking in passing whether a nail polish is gel or normal?

Show quote history

Gel, even if it’s not builder, is much thicker. Normal nail polish wipes off with remover. Gel doesn’t. It has to be soaked for 10 mins and even then filed/lifted off.

I can tell the difference by looking.

Ange59 · 26/10/2025 22:33

Comefromaway · 26/10/2025 22:28

Gel nails are banned at all the schools round here

Wish they were at my school

Franjipanl8r · 26/10/2025 22:31

Get them taken off and buy her some zao nail varnish for Xmas - it’s plastic and toxic free so it’s kinder to the environment and to children (I don’t work for them, I just like it)
www.zaomakeup.co.uk/all-products/nail-polish

RubySquid · 26/10/2025 22:30

Comefromaway · 26/10/2025 22:28

Gel nails are banned at all the schools round here

How do the school know just by looking in passing whether a nail polish is gel or normal?

Comefromaway · 26/10/2025 22:28

Gel nails are banned at all the schools round here

RubySquid · 26/10/2025 22:25

Ange59 · 26/10/2025 22:18

The girls are getting a set of gel nails for £40 a time and yes it is gel nail Polish on top of false nails using a uv lamp.

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So it's the false nails that make holding a pencil difficult not the gel polish
Exactly what I said

If they had false nails on with no polish it would be the same

Drivingmissrangey · 26/10/2025 22:25

Ange59 · 26/10/2025 22:05

When the girls have the gel nails they are too long and do impact their ability to hold a pencil. Yes it is definitely absurd

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I have gel polish and it doesn’t impact my ability to write.

CinnamonBuns67 · 26/10/2025 22:25

I'd be very annoyed too at 11 their nails aren't ready for that. I don't even think salons use them until the kid is a fair bit older and thats in a professional setting not a DIY job. I'd not be allowing my child back to that friends home if their parents allow them access to that. I'd have a ring around the salons see if they can at least remove them or if they have any advice how to minimise any potential damage.

Ange59 · 26/10/2025 22:18

RubySquid · 26/10/2025 22:06

Think you getting muddled with nail extensions and get polish on normal nails. The fel polish doesn't increase nail length

Show quote history

The girls are getting a set of gel nails for £40 a time and yes it is gel nail Polish on top of false nails using a uv lamp.

cherish123 · 26/10/2025 22:07

Is it special nail varnish? Why does she need a lamp? I don't paint my nails very often but, when I do, I have never needed a UV lamp.

RubySquid · 26/10/2025 22:06

Ange59 · 26/10/2025 22:05

When the girls have the gel nails they are too long and do impact their ability to hold a pencil. Yes it is definitely absurd

Show quote history

Think you getting muddled with nail extensions and get polish on normal nails. The fel polish doesn't increase nail length

Ange59 · 26/10/2025 22:05

Drivingmissrangey · 26/10/2025 21:42

Gel polish doesn’t impact ability to hold a pencil at all. Nail length might do, but not the type of polish anyone has one. That’s absurd.

Show quote history

When the girls have the gel nails they are too long and do impact their ability to hold a pencil. Yes it is definitely absurd

Drivingmissrangey · 26/10/2025 21:42

Ange59 · 26/10/2025 18:52

I heard the discussion on Jeremy Vine when the allergic reaction became bbc headlinenews - It can cause all manner of serious health issues. I work in a junior school and I find it dreadful that parents pay for their very young children to have gel nails - apart from all the dirt they harbour under the nails(children aren't very hygienic) they seriously affect their ability to hold a pencil and write. Then there's the problems in pe. Need I go on !

Gel polish doesn’t impact ability to hold a pencil at all. Nail length might do, but not the type of polish anyone has one. That’s absurd.