Chewed nails- what can I do?

[needanewlook]

I have always chewed my nails but now want to try to improve how I look which means having decent nails. I have never been to a nail bar so have no clue what's available. Would it be possible to have short fake nails to help my real nails to grow? Any advice would be appreciated.

[XiCi]

I'm not sure. I think fake nails actually weaken the nail as they have to file the surface down first so that could make them worse.
Have you thought about getting shellac? It doesn't harm the nail if you get it professionally applied and removed and it makes the nail really hard so you wouldn't be able to chew them.
You could get it done clear if you don't want colour on them.

[needanewlook]

What is shellac? I have no idea

[hooliodancer]

You can get it done at most beauty salons, it's like nail varnish but really hard. It stopped me picking my nails, but I start again if I don't have shellac on. So you need to have it applied every 2 weeks. You can buy a kit in Boots to do it yourself- it's called sensation nail. It works out much cheaper. It's just like applying nail varnish but you dry it under a uv lamp.