We have to make something very clear that CCFL, UV, LED, HPLED are all referring to the technologies of emitting light rays. For us who do gel nails application, all technical terms aforementioned, eventually emit UV rays.

For traditional tubular UV bulb, electric currents pass the filament and create heat. Such heat is about 900 degrees Fahrenheit, excite electrons to excite Mercury gas to release UV rays.

CCFL uses two electrodes to create high electric potential differences. Strong electric field thus excite Mercury gas to release UV rays. Such operating condition is only about 200 degrees Fahrenheit, which is "colder " than traditional UV bulb.

Construction of electrodes instead of filament allows a smaller and thinner size of bulbs.

Besides the differences in energy efficiency between LED UV bulb and tabular UV bulb, the UV frequency band emitted is also a main factor.

Using the same Watt of bulbs, according to the diagram, UV bulb emitted a much wider range of UV frequency, mainly UVB, while also included UVC, UVA and infrared.

395 LED bulb emitted a much narrower range of UV, mainly emitted frequency around 395 nm. Therefore we can deduce, the efficiency of LED bulb explains why LED UV gel cured faster.

And the difference of the UV range emitted by two different bulbs explains why some gel can't be cured under LED UV lamp.

Each brand of gel may require different frequencies of UV to be cured. So which frequency is needed for your gel ? That depends on the photoinitiaor used in your gel.

UV is abbreviation of Ultra Violet, a band of electromagnetic wave.

LED is Light Emitting Diode, a kind of light emitting technology.

While both of them are emitting Ultra Violet light , it is confusing to name the 2 lamps in a totally different approaches.

O.S.S.O Gel insist calling LED lamp as LED UV lamp.