Stop Biting Nails

Stop Biting Nails

Nail biting is a compulsive obsession medically known as Onychophagia. Children as well as adults can develop this habit. It can start at an early age of 5 and carry on till the age of 30 years.

• Some of the main causes for nail biting are stress, nervousness or boredom. 

• Children are generally ‘copycats’ and imitate this habit when they observe an adult in the family or someone they like biting their nails. 

• At times, little girls see their mother biting her nails and find it very “cool”; the damage is done at this stage.

• Sometimes, it starts when you find a broken nail with jagged and uneven edges - you want to smoothen it out by nibbling on it, rather than wait till you can locate a nail file. 

• You carry on with the next nail and the next, enjoying it till it becomes a habit. 

• The biting continues until the finger tips look red and swollen and start bleeding when the skin breaks.

• Cuticle is the dead skin around the edges and base of the nails – so when there is no nail left to chew at the edges, the cuticle is also bitten off. 

• Parents tend to leave children with this habit till the fingers become sensitive and actually bleed. 

• Nail biting is common in children between ages 10 – 18 years and it stops once they are adults. 

• The fingers of nail chewers become susceptible to microbial and viral infections along with thinning of the skin.

• Oral problems are common following nail biting - gum injuries and malocclusion and misalignment of anterior teeth. 

• Stomach infections and irritation can result due to ingestion of bacteria present in the nail bed.

• Remedies - There are many - it depends on what works for you!

• Taping the fingertips with band aids or any adhesive tape can work as an ideal deterrent as nails are not easily accessible. 

• Wearing cotton gloves is also one method where the fingers are covered and cannot reach the mouth unconsciously.

• Women can visit a salon and get an expensive manicure – it would make them think twice before undoing all that they have paid for.

• Chewing some hard gum has helped a few people break the habit.

• There are some anti nail biting, nail polish products available, which taste vile. 

• A person would not want to bring their fingers near their mouth after applying this, but it needs to be applied every time the hands are washed. 

• The clear colored nail polishes can be used by men also. 

• The obnoxious taste would arrest nail biting in many a child.

• Fix a day on your calendar and make a resolution to abstain from biting only one nail for the week. 

• Carry on to the next and so on – as those nails which are left alone look better, it is an enough incentive to stop.

• A hobby which keeps your hands busy will be a good idea – like knitting, painting, building legos or even squeezing a stress ball. 

• The idea is to keep the hands busy. 

• Women can invest in artificial nails which will give their hands a sleek look and it will be difficult to chew on their nails as the artificial ones would have been attached with glue.

• Self hypnosis is an option when adults cannot break the habit. 

• There are many self help books available in stores. 

• With a relaxed mind, visually imagining beautiful fingers and hands 2-3 times a day can be set in the subconscious mind. 

• This can bring excellent results.

Keywords: Stop Biting Nails

Kindly Bookmark and Share it: