Medically termed as onychophagia, nail biting can be caused by a variety of things, ranging from plain boredom to anxiety. A lot of people who compulsively nibble on their nails are not even aware that they are doing the deed.
It is possible for this condition to cause serious problems such as damage to your teeth as well as infection of the skin surrounding the nails. What’s more, chomped nails and the act of nail biting itself can cause much embarrassment, leaving you feeling more anxious and thus you tend to chew on your nails more. It’s a vicious cycle!
Fortunately, it’s not that challenging to put a stop to this habit. There are numerous simple remedies for nail biting available for you to try. It is a good idea to test-drive several different ones to determine which of them work very well for you. Continue reading to know some of your options when it comes to putting an end to nail biting effectively.
Keep Your Nails Trimmed
Regularly clipping your nails is perhaps one of the simplest ways to keep nail biting at bay. Naturally, you will quit nibbling on your fingernails if there’s nothing there to nibble on in the first place. After clipping, use a nail file to trim the edges to ensure that nothing is left for you to gnaw on.
Apply Neem Oil on the Tips
Using a cotton swab, smear some neem oil on the tips of your fingernails and allow it to air dry. This will give your nails a bitter taste, which will keep you from nibbling on them further. Neem oil has antibacterial properties too so it can help ward off an infection in case there’s broken skin around your fingernails.
Rub Garlic on Your Nails
Fret not in case a bottle of neem oil is not available because you may instead rub a clove of garlic on your fingernails. The aroma and taste will surely keep you from carrying out your compulsion. The nicest thing about garlic is it can strengthen your nails and remove discoloration, helping you to jumpstart having pretty nails once again.
Wear Plastic Fingernails
There are a couple of reasons why putting on plastic nails can be good for you. First, the material they are made of is not as easy to chew on as your actual fingernails. Second, plastic nails hide from view those bitten-down fingernails of yours, thus helping you gain self-confidence in public.
Buy Nail Polish Designed to Stop the Habit
On today’s market, you can easily get your hands on nail polish designed for people like you who compulsively munch on their fingernails. The product is specially formulated to taste repulsive, making you stop right away as soon as you begin to bite your nails. It makes your nails look nicer while slowly easing you away from the bad habit.
Have a Lovely and Expensive Manicure
Step foot in the most posh beauty salon you can find in the city and have a lovely manicure that doesn’t cause cheap. The thought of biting your beautiful nails alone is enough to break your heart. An eye-catching manicure will also make it apparent that having pretty fingernails makes you more attractive than having ones that are mangled.
Put on a Pair of Stylish Gloves
There’s a fashion accessory that can help you quit nail biting while making you look phenomenal at the same time: a pair of gloves. Wearing gloves takes away easy access to the nails, saving them from being nibbled on when you’re anxious or bored. Put on stylish gloves to steal the spotlight and put an end to a bad habit.
Wrap Each Nail in an Adhesive Bandage
Placing adhesive bandages on your fingernails is another very simple solution to nail biting. Apply new ones after taking a shower of each time they get wet. Remove them only when you are about to hit the sack. Because they don’t look pretty, you will be motivated to quit the habit in no time.
Replace Your Nail Biting with a Different Habit
Look for another thing to carry out whenever you feel bored or stressed. It can be anything from chewing sugar-free gum, munching on a fruit or vegetable, grabbing a stress ball — anything that is better than biting on your nails. Developing a new and better habit is a great way to overcome old and bad ones.
