Horrific revelation: woman shows shocking consequences of years of gel nail manicures
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Content warning: This article contains graphic photos which some may find distressing. Reader discretion is advised.
We all know how wonderful it feels to be pampered and have our nails looking fabulous – but is it always worth it?
One mum's horrifying experience might just have you reconsidering your next nail appointment.
Lisa Dewey, a 36-year-old mum-of-two, can barely use her hands these days after years of getting gel nail manicures, and she's warning others about the potentially hazardous beauty treatment.
According to her, she had been getting manicures regularly ‘for years’ without any issues.
But in February, her pleasure turned to pain when she experienced severe inflammation and distressingly painful peeling after getting a set of gel nails.
‘So, when it first happened after a set of gels in February, I thought it was a bacterial infection. My nail bed even started going purple, and I worried I would lose the whole finger,' Lisa recalled.
‘I feared it might be starved of oxygen. But it ended up being something completely different.’
Panicked and in pain, she sought medical help and was diagnosed with a bacterial infection. The doctors prescribed steroid cream and antibiotics, and eventually, her condition improved.
When the signs of infection seemed to go away, Lisa got her nails done again in April. This time, opting for acrylic instead of gel nails.
Within days, her nails began to peel away again from the nail bed.
She also claimed that the skin around her fingernails became paper-like.
Doctors subsequently prescribed her a different round of medication to treat her nail infections.
Sadly, Lisa now struggles to do simple tasks, such as holding a pen or fastening her seatbelt. She said she relies on her husband, Lee (45), to help her with day-to-day activities.
‘It has knocked my confidence so much too – it’s so embarrassing, and I’m always hiding my hands away,’ she told reporters.
‘Washing my daughter's hair is hard because you have to bend your fingers. Even strapping her in the car – if I catch my finger on the belt, I jolt from the pain because the skin is raw.’
She also said that the skin would get ‘so aggravated,’ and wearing gloves wasn’t an option because her sweat further aggravates the skin.
She also finds everyday tasks increasingly challenging, encountering more setbacks due to her inflamed and damaged hands. 'Anything scented or fragranced makes it worse – I can't put a conditioning treatment or mousse in my hair,’ she admitted.
Lisa, who works as a hospital cleaner, is now spreading her harrowing story to warn others about the potential dangers associated with gel manicures. She also revealed that she still has no idea what caused her condition.
However, doctors believe it is some kind of allergic reaction.
‘People can get their nails done for years with no issues until one day it hits them. I don’t normally care what people think of me, but now I hide my hands away. It’s just embarrassing to have hands like this,’ she explained.
The British Association of Dermatologists recently warned that doctors are treating an influx of people for allergic reactions related to acrylic and gel nails.
It said that poorly-trained manicurists and at-home gel polish kits were to blame for the reaction and that, typically, not enough UV light is used to ‘cure’ the polish on the nails.
This causes the chemicals in the gel nail polish, called methacrylates, to leak into the skin and cause the nails to peel. Symptoms such as rashes and breathing difficulties were found in severe cases as well. Those suffering from an allergic reaction can also develop ‘life-long sensitivity to the chemicals.
This means that they may be unable to undergo vital operations in the future, such as cataracts, dental work, joint replacements, or any other procedure involving the same chemicals.
‘I just want to do my bit in trying to get the word out that things might not be as good as they seem,’ Lisa shared.
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We all know how wonderful it feels to be pampered and have our nails looking fabulous – but is it always worth it?
One mum's horrifying experience might just have you reconsidering your next nail appointment.
Lisa Dewey, a 36-year-old mum-of-two, can barely use her hands these days after years of getting gel nail manicures, and she's warning others about the potentially hazardous beauty treatment.
According to her, she had been getting manicures regularly ‘for years’ without any issues.
Lisa said she could barely use her hands after getting a gel manicure. Credit: Valeria Boltneva/Pexels
But in February, her pleasure turned to pain when she experienced severe inflammation and distressingly painful peeling after getting a set of gel nails.
‘So, when it first happened after a set of gels in February, I thought it was a bacterial infection. My nail bed even started going purple, and I worried I would lose the whole finger,' Lisa recalled.
‘I feared it might be starved of oxygen. But it ended up being something completely different.’
Panicked and in pain, she sought medical help and was diagnosed with a bacterial infection. The doctors prescribed steroid cream and antibiotics, and eventually, her condition improved.
When the signs of infection seemed to go away, Lisa got her nails done again in April. This time, opting for acrylic instead of gel nails.
Within days, her nails began to peel away again from the nail bed.
Lisa’s nails began to peel away again from the nail beds. Credit: Lisa Dewey/SWNS
She also claimed that the skin around her fingernails became paper-like.
Doctors subsequently prescribed her a different round of medication to treat her nail infections.
Sadly, Lisa now struggles to do simple tasks, such as holding a pen or fastening her seatbelt. She said she relies on her husband, Lee (45), to help her with day-to-day activities.
‘It has knocked my confidence so much too – it’s so embarrassing, and I’m always hiding my hands away,’ she told reporters.
‘Washing my daughter's hair is hard because you have to bend your fingers. Even strapping her in the car – if I catch my finger on the belt, I jolt from the pain because the skin is raw.’
She also said that the skin would get ‘so aggravated,’ and wearing gloves wasn’t an option because her sweat further aggravates the skin.
She also finds everyday tasks increasingly challenging, encountering more setbacks due to her inflamed and damaged hands. 'Anything scented or fragranced makes it worse – I can't put a conditioning treatment or mousse in my hair,’ she admitted.
Lisa, who works as a hospital cleaner, is now spreading her harrowing story to warn others about the potential dangers associated with gel manicures. She also revealed that she still has no idea what caused her condition.
However, doctors believe it is some kind of allergic reaction.
‘People can get their nails done for years with no issues until one day it hits them. I don’t normally care what people think of me, but now I hide my hands away. It’s just embarrassing to have hands like this,’ she explained.
The British Association of Dermatologists recently warned that doctors are treating an influx of people for allergic reactions related to acrylic and gel nails.
It said that poorly-trained manicurists and at-home gel polish kits were to blame for the reaction and that, typically, not enough UV light is used to ‘cure’ the polish on the nails.
This causes the chemicals in the gel nail polish, called methacrylates, to leak into the skin and cause the nails to peel. Symptoms such as rashes and breathing difficulties were found in severe cases as well. Those suffering from an allergic reaction can also develop ‘life-long sensitivity to the chemicals.
This means that they may be unable to undergo vital operations in the future, such as cataracts, dental work, joint replacements, or any other procedure involving the same chemicals.
‘I just want to do my bit in trying to get the word out that things might not be as good as they seem,’ Lisa shared.
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