Sick of your nail-biting habit? Here's how you can stop
What's the story
Biting nails usually begins in childhood and gradually develops into a habit that can affect your gum tissue and make the skin around your nails feel sore, thereby hindering their growth. It can also cause fungal infections in the nail bed and dental problems such as misalignment and chipped teeth. Here are five tips that will help you stop biting your nails.
Short nails
Keep your nails short
If you want to avoid the temptation of continuously biting your nails and maintaining their health, keep your nails short. If you do not have enough nails to bite with your teeth, it won't be that satisfying for you which will help discourage the habit. Cut your nails back immediately in case you have surplus growth. So, always keep clippers with you.
Manicure
Treat yourself to a nice manicure
A manicure at a salon can make your nails look pretty and healthy which can prevent you from biting them and ruining their appearance. It also gives you well-shaped and shiny nails which motivates you to keep them that way. Apart from preventing nail biting, a manicure also exfoliates your skin, improves blood circulation, and makes you feel relaxed and pampered.
Nail bite inhibitor
Apply a nail bite inhibitor
There are several nail bite inhibitors available in the market that you can use to discourage yourself from chewing your nails. Most of the inhibitors have a foul taste and are made with non-toxic and safe chemicals. The foul taste will make you think twice before biting your nails. After applying the inhibitor, coat your nails with transparent nail polish to smoothen the surface.
Nail paint
Paint your nails with a vibrant-colored nail polish
Paint your nails with bold and vibrant-colored nail polish like black, red, or fuchsia to prevent yourself from biting them since they will look bad if chipped. After applying the nail paint, coat your nails with some shine polish or growth protector. You can also use a nail hardener that will make the nails hard and solid and make it difficult to chew.
Covering up
Cover up your nails
If a manicure and nail polish fail to stop you, try covering up your nails to get rid of the habit of chewing them. You can wear fake nails or go for nail extensions that last longer while your real nails will continue to grow underneath. You can also wear gloves or wrap adhesive bandages around the fingertip of your nails to prevent chewing.