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How do I keep from biting my nails?
By Victoria from Wilmington, NC
I still remember what my 3rd grade teacher said to one little classmate..."You could plant radishes under those nails!" and I've never considered having a "dirt snack". That was 52 years ago and my mother-in-law stopped a life-long habit of nail biting after hear that.
Hello,
I always wanted to stop biting my nails too. I tired the easy acrylic way but that was just painful and bothersome (not to mention expensive) What really got me to stop was an idea from my grandmother. Just try to make one nail pretty. That's all. Just keep your mouth away from that one nail and wait awhile. There's no pressure and no bad feelings if you falter and bite one of the others.
I stopped by chewing gum. Also coincided with quitting smoking so the gum chewing helped with 2 things!
I am a teenager and I have been a nail biter for about 9 years now and it's terrible. I just can't stop no matter what I do. I have not tried any special nail polish yet (because I haven't been able to find any). My fingers are so gross as well as the skin just over top the base of the nail.
There are a lot of nail biting polishes (some people call these nibble inhibitors) available from Wall-Mart type stores, drug stores (ask a pharmacist if you need help) that are especially designed to help people break the habit of biting their nails. These work by placing a very bitter taste when you touch your nail to your mouth.
Placing band-aids over the nails during the day is also a good deterrent. Remove at night and reapply in the morning or after a shower.
You are not alone with a habit like this but there are probably trigger points that cause you to continue to do this so maybe you could try to keep track of what was going on when this happens (many times you may not even be aware you are biting your nails).
Here is a link that might shed more light on how to stop:
I had a really bad nail biting problem. I would bite them to the point they would bleed. I stopped biting them by buying the press on nails, then when I would go to bite them I couldn't anymore. After several packages of press ons it stopped my biting habit. Hope this helps, good luck.
I have been biting my nails for years, and I just don't know how to stop. Is there any way I can grow them naturally without being tempted to bite them?
I stopped biting my nails because I got an infection and had to get it squeezed professionally at the doctors. It hurt so bad (the infection) and that made me stop. You can watch YouTube videos and it'll make you cringe to stop!
I've been biting my nails for years, they are a disgrace and I am embarrassed. I have sent an image. Please can you help me?
There is actually a product that you can brush on your nails that tastes bitter. It is supposed to help stop the habit. A friend of mine broke her habit by brushing on hot pepper juice. As soon as her nails got into her mouth, it burned and she would pull it back out. However, you have to reapply often, and watch that you don't get it into your eyes.
Okay I have been biting my nails for as long as I have been on this earth which is about to be sixteen whole years. I am using this nail polish with a nail polish remover taste to it, but the problem with me is that I either bite or peel the polish off of my nails despite the taste of the polish. I also bite my nails because of my anxiety and boredom and I just can't seem to leave them alone long enough to let them grow properly. They are literally nubs at this point and I am desperately in need of letting them grow or finding a way to finally stop biting my nails once and for all. Is there any advice or tips for someone like me in this situation?
I used to be a nail biter then I got an infection and had to get pus removed and I stopped bitting my nail since.
Might be gross to say but you can watch YouTube like nail infection from biting nails or something and it might help you stop altogether.
Some other ideas I can think of:
I used to bite my nails and stopped when my sister got engaged. Even though engagement was a long way off for me, I realized that rings do not look pretty on hands with bitten nails. That got me to stop.
The word that caught my attention was anxiety. Have you told an adult about this? Anxiety is so common and is something that can be managed pretty easily for most people.
Anxiety is so common and affects people of all ages. It just is and it can be managed and controlled.
Please consider finding an adult who you trust and talk to him or her about what is going on and develop a plan for ways to manage things. A parent, a grandparent, aunt or uncle, a teacher, your school counselor, a religious person (priest, rabbi etc.) Find someone you trust and tell the person what is going on. It is easy. You can do this!!!
There are so many options and many of them have simple things to do...like learning mindfulness, having an app to help you count your blessings, developing prayers to help you through, talking to a friend, so many options. There are many, many things that work! I promise you there are lots of solutions to choose from and hopefully you can find one that works for you quickly!
I will send up lots of prayers that you can work with someone you trust to resolve this and the nail biting will become less and less of a way to manage your anxiety.
Post back with an updates so I know you are OK!! Hugs!!!
OMG thank you for the advice! I will definitely watch those videos to see if it'll help me! tysm
I will definitely do that and keep you updated, by the way one of my teachers has seen me in an anxiety attack like twice already. One of them was caused by being threatened with detention and the other one was being 'caught ' in the hallway for being tardy to class even though I was walking from her class without a pass, my face was red ( Rosacea ), I was breathing heavily and I was just about ready to cry and I was rambling on about how the principal was about to give me a detention, I was just a mess.
I was so glad to read Pghgirl's response to your message as I also believe anxiety seems to be your biggest problem so I hope you will follow her suggestions and get the help you need.
Sixteen should be a fun time in your life but can be full of new things/problems coupled with older unresolved problems that can become overwhelming.
Nail biting can be a problem and can be embarrassing but it is probably a minor part of your overall well being. Concentrate on getting appropriate help and then you may be able to stop this cycle of nail biting.
Seek help and do not think that you are "different" or that you are alone with problems like this as there are many 13-18 year olds in the same situation of being anxious about all sorts of things in their lives.
Just be sure you are one of the ones that seek help so you can smile and look forward to feeling good everyday.
Pretty nails will follow.
That does sound like classic anxiety and it is nothing to be ashamed of. Seriously. There are many causes and lots of ways to control it but everyone has it to some degree or another. If someone says they don't have anxiety or have never had it, I can just about guarantee they are lying. It is normal. We were hard wired to have it for survival (like the flight or fight thing from when we were being chased by dinosaurs). It does NOT have to control you. You can learn to control it.
Who is a trusted adult (or who are your trusted adults? Sit down today and have a chat with him/her/them and tell them honestly what you have been experiencing. The nail biting is just a manifestation of the anxiety...it is that breathing hard and red face that is can be worrisome and can be controlled.
There should be no shame in the discussion. If the first trusted adult doesn't help, find another one. Seriously. Anxiety just is. It just happens to the best of us. I had my first anxiety attack at 18 and have been able to manage mine all these years and you can to.
You are 16 and as a human being you are beautiful and amazing and strong. Take care of yourself and let me know how you are doing. You can do this! Like anything else in life it is a one second, one minute, one day at a time thing!
Prayers and best wishes!!
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Can anybody help me find a way to stop biting my nails and allowing them to grow healthily?
By Latoya from Eastbound, Trinidad
Find some special occasion that you would like to have nice long nails for and decide to quit biting them so that they will be long for that occasion. I bit my nails all my life until I was 16 and then I decided I wanted them long for the junior-senior prom and I had long nails for that and have had them ever since. (08/24/2010)
By Joan
Biting nails is partially a deficiency. I don't remember anymore which vitamin it is based on, but I am sure with a little Googling you can find out. My daughter used to bite her nails and I seem to remember my wife telling her to get a spoonful of peanut butter when ever she felt like biting her nails. Just some info, don't know if it will help you out, but better than nothing. (08/24/2010)
By Suntydt
There's a special polish to use that will taste nasty to your taste buds. Sally's Beauty store carries it I think. (08/24/2010)
By Trudy
Oil of cloves, purchased in a small bottle from a pharmacy or grocery store should do the trick. Just paint it on. One nibble and you'll never want to taste it again! Good luck. (08/27/2010)
By JDatUz
It might help to remind yourself that in 6 weeks your nails will look as though you never bit them. They won't be really long, but they will look nice. (08/27/2010)
By Lilac
I was a bad nail biter (to where they would sometimes bleed from biting them down too far) until I started Cosmetology School when I was sixteen. The first time I shampooed someone else's hair grossed me out so badly with the thought of all the icky dirt and bacteria that ends up on our hands and fingers that it cured me then and there!
I had a friend who quit by lightly dabbing her fingertips with cologne because it tasted nasty and would leave a bitter taste in her mouth for a long time even if rinsing with water afterwards. ;-) (08/27/2010)
By Deeli
One suggestion is to buy a real pretty pair of gloves and wear them when you're most tempted to bite your nails. I bit my nails until I was 16 years old. A friend of mine in high school had the most beautiful nails, and one day I decided that I was going to have pretty nails just like hers. Seeing her nails was enough to motivate me to stop biting mine. Ever since then, I have had tons of compliments on my pretty fingernails. Believe me, it is well worth the effort to stop biting them. (08/27/2010)
By kitkatk100
Onychophagia is compulsive nail biting which can be treated through behavioral therapy modification through psychotherapy, or medication (B-vitamin inositol). (10/13/2010)
By Letty
