How to stop biting your nails?

Onychophagia is a compulsive behavior that involves biting one's nails or simply putting them in the mouth.

Onychophagia, or the act of biting one's nails

Very often, this habit is caused by stress or anxiety. It helps to calm down and stabilize one's emotions.

Nail biting affects adults, children, and adolescents alike. It can become a common but not serious habit.

Causes of nail biting:

The causes of nail biting vary, but it often occurs during stressful or concentration-related situations at work, school, in personal life, or when quitting smoking.

Other triggers include boredom, hunger, or feeling uncomfortable.

The typical nail-biter is often anxious, shy, introverted, and/or perfectionistic.

Consequences of nail biting:

First, nail biting can cause small skin lesions that can develop into skin infections, especially when the nail is bitten down to the root of the fingertips.

The underside of the nail is a perfect breeding ground for germs and bacteria. When brought into the mouth, these microorganisms enter the body and increase the risk of getting sick.

Biting can also deform nails and prevent them from growing back. It is irreversible; the entire nail matrix (the tissue around and under the nails) can be damaged.

As a result, the nails have an abnormal appearance, a sign that they are not healthy.

Additionally, frequent nail biting can damage teeth. This habit creates minor dental trauma, which can lead to scratching and damage to tooth enamel.

In the long term, this can even disrupt dental occlusion, that is, the way the teeth meet when the mouth is closed. As a result, teeth can become deformed, cracked, or even loose.

Finally, nail biting can have social repercussions; some affected individuals do not accept the damage to their hands. They therefore tend to isolate themselves from the outside world.

Fortunately, there are some solutions to limit or permanently stop biting your nails.

Tips to stop biting your nails:

Here are some simple and effective tips to avoid biting your nails and keep them healthy :

• Trim your nails short: The best way to stop this problem is to regularly trim your nails short. This way, there are fewer nails to bite when they are in your mouth.

• Chewing gum: Keeping your mouth busy with gum can help limit nail biting.

• Adopt a replacement gesture: instead of biting your nails out of habit, you can occupy your hands by fiddling with strands of hair or a pen, or by kneading a stress-relieving object (a ball for example).

• Get a nice manicure: Getting a nice manicure, wearing beautiful nail polish, or wearing false nails can discourage nail biting. There's a bitter, off-tasting nail polish designed to discourage nail biting.

• Moisturize your hands regularly: Hands that are often moisturized and greasy are less pleasant to touch and can put people off this habit. Ideally, choose a rich, moisturizing, and nourishing cream made with natural ingredients to repair the damage caused by nail biting.

• Wear gloves or stickers: If your hands are gloved, it's impossible to bite your nails. There are also stickers specially designed to cover your nails. Otherwise, a simple adhesive bandage stuck over the nail may be enough.

• Exercise and/or relax: Engaging in a sport or relaxation activity can help you channel your nerves and anxiety. For example, meditation and yoga can help you relax and stop taking out stress on your nails.

• Take targeted food supplements to limit stress: some anti-stress food supplements are made up of plants that are very useful for calming anxiety during a stressful situation.

Délicure offers no-stress gummies , with a peach flavor, enriched with plants to naturally combat emotional stress and protect the nervous system. They contain relaxing plants (rhodiola, saffron and holy basil), the amino acid GABA and vitamin B6.

The brand also offers a wide range of CBD products: CBD gummies , CBD oils , and CBD sweets . CBD has a calming effect on the body, helping to relieve stress and anxiety, and promoting a state of relaxation.

These natural products do not cause any side effects and are safe for health.

Treating bitten nails:

To care for bitten and damaged nails, you can use vegetable oils, particularly castor oil or olive oil. They are very effective in nourishing, moisturizing and strengthening the nail.

Every week, the ideal is to soak your nails in a bowl filled with these two oils for at least five minutes.

This treatment will also promote healthy and rapid nail regrowth.

To nourish nails from the inside out, Délicure has launched hair gummies , with a wild berry flavor, targeted for the beauty of hair , nails and skin. Thanks to their composition rich in blueberry, vitamins (B6, B8, B9, B12 and E) and trace elements (zinc and selenium), they help strengthen the nail and stimulate its growth.

If you have difficulty stopping nail biting, it is advisable to speak with a healthcare professional (general practitioner or dermatologist). Consulting a psychiatrist or psychologist can also be helpful in understanding the causes of stress or anxiety.