A: If nail biting causes physical harm and psychological distress, then professional treatment is necessary. It is important to seek help if the behavior is affecting mental and physical health:. A: For most people, nail biting is an occasional thing. We do know that people with these conditions often have onychophagia as well:. Chronic nail biting often has a self-soothing quality it provides a sense of calm , so people may use it as a coping mechanism.
Sometimes, a hangnail or nail imperfection could spur someone to excessively groom the nail. Their goal is to improve the look of the nail, but unfortunately, the nail often ends up looking worse. Other triggers could be boredom, needing to concentrate or a stressful situation. A: Doctors classify chronic nail biting as a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder since the person has difficulty stopping.
People often want to stop and make multiple attempts to quit without success. In addition, habits like swallowing bitten-off nails can increase the risk of stomach and intestinal infections.
To be successful, you have to want to make the change. It may take a combination of things to help you completely break the habit, but even cutting down on frequency can be helpful.
Long nails may be hard to resist, so keeping them trimmed is a good idea. Another option is to get regular professional manicures. Spending the money and knowing that someone is going to check your nails soon may keep you from reverting to the habit. Choose only licensed salons and manicurists who properly sterilize tools, so as to prevent fungal nail infection. There are plenty of people out there who struggle with nail biting.
You can buy them wherever you buy nail polish, or you can speak with a manicurist or dermatologist for more ideas along this line. Some people put tape, stickers, or bandages on their fingernails to remind them not to bite.
What makes you bite your nails? If you can figure out what triggers this behavior, you can work on managing those triggers. Just identifying those things that get you biting may be enough to serve as a reminder not to do it.
While you can try chewing gum, that can lead to dental or jaw problems if overdone. Keeping your hands busy is a good way to keep them out of your mouth.
Consider using something like a fidget device , stress ball, or silly putty to keep your hands occupied. Some people quit smoking by gradually cutting down on the number of cigarettes per day. You can do something similar with nail biting. Stick with that one finger until it becomes a habit and the nail begins to look healthier. Slowly back off that finger until you completely break the habit.
In cognitive behavioral therapy CBT , a therapist will help you identify unhelpful behavior patterns and replace them with different behaviors.
CBT can be quite effective. Any biting and picking below the cuticle can create structural changes in the base of the nail that alters the way the nail grows out. Jasmine O. Obioha , a dermatologist at Cedars-Sinai. Topical treatments like cortisone can reduce inflammation and offer relief, but sometimes doctors have to drain the area to relieve pressure. Nail biters are also more prone to develop colds and flu. It can be tough to stop biting your nails, particularly if you've been chewing them since childhood.
These strategies can help:. Covering your nails with a barrier like gloves, mittens, socks—or using retainer-style or bite-plate devices in your mouth—can act as a deterrent for nail-biting behaviors. Instead of trying to stop biting all of your nails overnight, take a gradual approach, focusing on one nail at a time. Once you succeed with one nail, add another until you're able to stop biting the nails on your whole hand. Kicking a childhood habit is complicated—and sometimes the inability to quit is a sign of a more serious psychological or emotional issue.
There are focused treatments—both medical and psychological—that can help, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and decoupling strategies. In the meantime, watch out for redness, pain, swelling, peeling, or changes in the nail. Pitting, discoloration, and abnormal growth may be a sign of a medical problem. If something unusual is going on, check with a doctor. Skip to content.
Some people twirl their hair. Some fiddle with a ring. Others bite their nails. Nail biting explained. Genetics: Kids whose parents bite their nails are more likely to follow suit—even if the parent stops the behavior before the child is born. Anxiety: Nail biting can be a sign of anxiety or stress. The repetitive behavior seems to help some people cope with challenging emotions.
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