10 Best At-Home Gel Nail Kits of 2024 (Licensed Cosmetologist-Reviewed)

There are three types of gel nail lamps: UV, LED, and combined UV/LED. UV lamps cost less, but can take several minutes to cure the gel polish. This type of lamp uses the same kind of wavelengths as tanning salon beds. Long-term exposure to UV light can increase your likelihood of cancer or UV-induced skin aging. 

It’s unlikely that curing gel polish alone will cause cancer, but it can prematurely age your skin and cause sunspots. These lamps take eight to 10 minutes to cure nails, longer than LED lamps, so they expose your hands to more UV rays.

The best way to avoid the harsh effects of regular gel manicures is by applying sunscreen before your manicure. Also, be mindful of using these lamps if you have sensitivity to UV-rays or are on medication that increases your sensitivity.

LED lamps still use a type of UV light; however, they can cure gel nail polish in 30 to 45 seconds, which greatly reduces your UV-ray exposure. They also emit a lower level of radiation than UV lamps.

LED lamps can cost more, but their bulbs last longer than UV lamp bulbs and may never need to be replaced. Some forms of gel polish are only compatible with UV lamps, however, so make sure to check that your polish is compatible with LED lamps.

Combination UV/LED lamps are becoming more common on the market. A UV/LED lamp has both UV and LED bulbs in it. These lamps will have quick-drying timer settings and longer settings since they use both bulbs. These combination lamps are capable of curing both LED and UV gel polish.

Whichever type of lamp you choose, make sure that it has the right features. We recommend lamps with timers and safety features, but many people also want products to include auto-sensors, LED/LCD displays, and indicator lights.

There are different sized lamps available on the market. Bigger lamps can cure your entire hand (or foot!) in one go. If you’re an expert at applying gel polish, this will be the quickest and easiest option for you. 

If you’re not an expert and prefer to do a finger or two at a time, then you might consider a smaller lamp. You can even get portable gel lamps that only do one finger at a time! Smaller lamps make doing feet far more difficult, however.

You will see that different lamps have different "W" numbers. This refers to the wattage of the lamp. Higher wattages cure polish quicker and more efficiently, but they usually cost more as well. 

Most lamps of any wattage will be able to cure any type of polish eventually, but we recommend avoiding any standard-size UV lamp below 20 watts and any LED lamp below 12 watts. Under these wattages will not give good curing speeds or results.

Small single-finger lamps are the exception. These typically have fewer bulbs; some have only one! Single-finger lamps can be UV, LED, or UV/LED and have wattages as low as 3 watts. These lamps can be just as effective as their larger counterparts, but they only cure one finger at a time. Curing each nail twice, while a little time-consuming, can help ensure that they’re properly dry and set.