A mum can barely use her hands and says her confidence has suffered after developing a suspected allergy - to nail products.<br /><br />Lisa Dewey, 36, had been getting her nails done regularly for years - without issue.<br /><br />But in February a set of gel nails becoming inflamed and started peeling away from the nail bed.<br /><br />At the time it was put down to a bacterial infection, and Lisa she was given a steroid cream and antibiotics to fight it.<br /><br />But after deciding to get a set of acrylic nails put on last month, the mum-of-two found she was hurting again.<br /><br />Once more, her nails became "very aggravated" and she could barely move her hands due to the pain.<br /><br />The NHS cleaner struggled to wash her daughter's hair, do up a seatbelt, hold a pen and wash up.<br /><br />Now, despite years of nail treatments with no issues, she can never again have gel or acrylic nails - and thinks it's an allergy.<br /><br />Lisa, from Pattishall, Northants., said: "I've been getting my nails done all my life for acrylics or gels.<br /><br />"So when it first happened after a set of gels in February, I thought it was a bacterial infection.<br /><br />"My nail bed even started going purple and I worried I would lose the whole finger.<br /><br />"When I had them done again recently - this time acrylics - the same thing happened.<br /><br />"Now my skin is like paper tearing away from my fingers and I can barely move my hands from the pain.<br /><br />"It has knocked my confidence so much too - it's so embarrassing and I'm always hiding my hands away."<br /><br />Lisa, a mum of two girls aged three and 12, first noticed a reaction after getting gel nails applied in February.<br /><br />Despite getting the same treatment she had been having for years, within a matter of days her nails had began peeling up from the nail bed.<br /><br />One even went PURPLE - while the others became itchy and extremely sore.<br /><br />She never suspected her manicure could be the problem - and doctors prescribed her a round of antibiotics for what seemed to be an infection.<br /><br />Lisa said: "It happened suddenly - I feared I might even lose a finger when it went purple around the nail.<br /><br />"I feared it might be starved of oxygen - but it ended up being something completely different."<br /><br />After having the gels removed and taking a break from nail products, she thought it was over.<br /><br />But after getting a set of acrylic nails put on again in April, the problem reared its head once more.<br /><br />But not only did her fingernails begin to lift again, but the skin around her nails became "like paper".<br /><br />She has recently been prescribed a different round of medication to treat her.<br /><br />Lisa explained that being a mum to a young daughter poses issues.<br /><br />Her hand and nail pain makes everyday tasks tough and she is constantly having to ask for help from husband Lee, 45.<br /><br />She said: "Washing my daughter’s hair is hard because you have to bend your fingers.<br /><br />"Even strapping her in the car - if I catch my finger on the belt, I jolt from the pain because the skin is raw.<br /><br />"It gets so aggravated but wearing gloves doesn't even help because sweaty hands aggravate it too.<br /><br />"Anything scented or fragranced makes it worse - I can't put a conditioning treatment or mousse in my hair.<br /><br />Now Lisa has vowed to stay away from nail products for good - and warned others.
