LED vs UV lamps

LED Lamps have become "the" thing in the last couple of years - people are (needlessly) worried about UV overexposure and LED cures gel nails faster than UV. BUT many nail techs think you can just use an LED lamp in place of a UV lamp without regard to the product. In the linked article below, we learn that a properly and carefully formulated UV/LED-curing nail product requires the correct level of UV exposure in the proper range of wavelengths of the correct intensity and for the right amount of time.

In other words, use the lamp that was created to go with your product and don't assume all lamps are created equal! Even two different brands of LED nail lamps will differ in wavelength and intensity. Be safe, follow the manufacturer's instructions.

One more thing - LED is on the UV spectrum - so by using an LED lamp, you are not avoiding UV exposure.  See part 2 of this post for more info on how UV and LED are related

Doug Schoon's article on LED and proper curing

For more on the science of UV and LED lamps click here