Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

To ask you to help me fight this compulsion (pics)

63 replies

Comealongpond89 · 10/08/2018 21:21

I bite the skin around my nails. I've been doing for as long a so can remember. Sometimes I go through stages of not doing it as bad but at the moment I can't stop. They're getting really sore and I hate how they look. I've tried occupying my hands but I still do it. Anyone do similar or have any tips on how to stop a compulsion? I'll add pics on my next post

OP posts:

Hogtini · 10/08/2018 21:58

I do the same and do it so bad they bleed and hurt and i have to wear plasters. My mum still berates me for it!

thebewilderness · 10/08/2018 21:59

I used to do the same. I still play with tape and do other weird stuff but I stopped picking my nails and chewing the skin around my nails when I focused on using my nails to push back the cuticle instead. Little by little wanting to stop, I stopped.

sprinklesandsauce · 10/08/2018 21:59

sorry, jumping on for ideas as DD won't stop biting her nails and it is a sad sight to see how low down she has gone on them :(

NoLightInTheTunnel · 10/08/2018 21:59

My 9-yo DD does this. She picks the skin clean off 'till the first knuckle. Sometimes every single one of her fingertips are red raw . If I put the bitter stuff on she just chews it off and asks for more!

I've found fidget toys help, as well as her playing with slime/putty/clay, as it keeps her fingers occupied and she can 'pick' at that instead.

Good luck OP.

Original poster

Comealongpond89 · 10/08/2018 22:02

Thanks everyone. I think I'll just have to really try. I am quite stressed at the mo. I was made redundant and am currently job hunting which I hate. Also have the fear that dd will pick it up and I really don't want her doing it

OP posts:

GorgonLondon · 10/08/2018 22:16

I also do this and I also pick the skin off my knees until they are totally scabbed over and sore. I used to cut myself with knives/razors/broken glass (many years ago), so I figure this is pretty harmless by comparison...

cdtaylornats · 10/08/2018 22:24

Germoline liquid plasters - it tastes vile

To ask you to help me fight this compulsion (pics)

Dragonbait · 10/08/2018 22:25

I do this pretty badly too. I find having gel nails helps - I think because I like the feel of the gel so I end up rubbing my nails instead of biting! My fingers get better while they're on and the minute they're off I start picking and biting again!

AnnieAnoniMoose · 10/08/2018 22:29

I’ve never done that, so I’m not sure it’ll help, but the nail polish remover pads leave a really, really horrible taste, I’d suggest it’s worse than nail biting stuff (due to regulations). It’s truly vile. It’s probably not great for Lou long term, but I dare say it won’t kill you off in the short term!

Good luck.

MelanieSmooter · 10/08/2018 22:29

I do this. Two things help - shellac (softens the edges of my nails so it’s harder to scratch/pick at it) and having something else to fiddle with instead.

FluffyMcCloud · 10/08/2018 22:30

There’s a name for this but it’s long and I can’t remember it. I pick at my skin too. It’s awful and my fingers are horrid and raw or scabby.
I’ve recently started to do it to my feet and my left foot is so sore underneath where I’ve picked skin off. I hate it but can’t stop. I also pick skin off my lips, and bite the inside of my cheeks.
It really is s compulsion, I find myself thinking I’ll just pick this one bit off then I’ll stop. Just one more bit.. I do f get why I do it, it’s painful and looks horrible, why don’t I just NOT DO IT. I don’t know but I can’t stop

Spilledmycoffee · 10/08/2018 22:35

Plasters around each finger for a few days/weeks? Long enough for your brain to decide that it just doesn't work anymore

Immigrantsong · 10/08/2018 22:38

This is called dermatilomania. Please Google it. I have it too.

glasshalfsomething · 10/08/2018 22:39

I stopped biting nails and skin around them as a teenager using the one at a time approach. For one week, I kept biting, but not pinkies . Next week, pinkies and ring fingers (by which point the pinkies we're back to good condition and growing nicely). By time I was down to only biting thumbs,: it was much easier to quit.

Lucked · 10/08/2018 22:41

I would get some dermatology cotton gloves, they are cheap so buy quite a few. Then wear when you most commonly do it, presumably in the evenings and going to sleep. It is going to take a massive conscious effort at other times. When you catch yourself doing it, don't just stop but take a few moments to affirm to yourself why you don't want to do it.

Radiosheep · 10/08/2018 22:49

You used to be able to buy wax pieces that you watm in a bowl and dip your fingets into to soften the skin. Perhaps if you did this every eve and handcream on then it would not only be a bit of a de stressor but maybe if they felt really soft then would help? It's said if you do something for 20 days it becomes a habit. I cured myself of dry skin inbetween my fingers by wearing rubber gloves when washing up for 20 days and now I use them all the time. They were starting bleed and they looked awful. Good luck OP it's mind over matter.

FreerOfIcefyre · 10/08/2018 22:52

I pick the skin on my thumbs on the sides, and the pads of my thumbs all the way down to the bottom. My right thumb is currently very pink from where I have removed the skin. Weirdly I don't bite my nails or the knuckle part.

The more stressed I get the more fingers I'll move onto. I also pick my lips.

I specifically sort out hypnotherapy for this reason. I had 1 long session and it worked for quite some time. I remember sitting at traffic lights and realising I didn't have the urge to bite. I wasn't ignoring it or fighting it, I had no urge to do it.

It lasted several weeks until I went through a really stressful situation and I started again. I should have gone back.

The second thing that has worked is having acrylic nails. I am unable to pick with them so I can't bite.

As I am due to go on holiday for 3 weeks I have just had my acrylic nails removed to give my nails a break and I cannot believe how much I have picked and bitten my skin in the space of a few days. Ouch. Am panicking now that my fingerprints won't register at the airport.

lurchermummy · 10/08/2018 22:59

See a hypnotherapist or someone trained in BWRT. Easy to fix.

ithoughtisawapuddycat · 10/08/2018 22:59

I'm a picker - skin around nails and spots/scabs.

For fingers I stop doing it as soon as I get a gel manicure. No sore skin and gel manicures last at least two weeks without chipping

Chickoletta · 10/08/2018 23:01

I lived with a girl at uni who did this - used to turn my stomach. Had to hoover her armchair to get rid of the buts of dead skin. She took up needlecraft, which helped as it gave her something else to do with her hands whilst watching TV.

BetterEatCheese · 10/08/2018 23:01

Google books on skin picking. I used to pick my face a lot but don't so much after a bit of reading

Weepatchesoflove · 10/08/2018 23:04

Me too Fluffy. I was beginning to wonder if I was the only one that done that.
I’m currently walking on my right heel as I have picked the skin pretty badly at the toe. It bloody hurts and I am raging at myself for doing it. Again.
I guess at least my fingers and lips are left alone at the moment.

ColdNeverBotheredMeAnyway · 10/08/2018 23:12

I did this for decades - my fingers were a mess and it really hurt. I was constantly bleeding.

I've managed to stop a few times in my life. The only things that have done it for me are:

Going travelling to countries that are less than hygienic. So I worried about putting my fingers in my mouth all the time, because of the risk of germs. Stopped me dead, and they healed while I was travelling. Started as soon as I came home though...

Being in hospital - same reason as above - germs.

The thing that has stopped me this time - having my nails done professionally. They looked lovely and I didn't want to pick in case I damaged the nails (because my habit is picking at the skin with my nails, then biting it off), and I didn't want to ruin the look of my lovely nails by having disgusting fingers. My fingers were so bad that when I first had my nails done, the lovely nail technician was worried about holding my finger in case she hurt me. I've been having my nails done for about 3 months now, and my fingers had completely healed.

Had the nail varnish taken off a couple of weeks ago... I've started picking again. Must resist the urge.

SuperMumTum · 10/08/2018 23:32

I do this and was just thinking today about putting plasters on because I've gone through a bad patch recently. I find being aware of stress and doing practical things to address the cause of the stress is the best way to stop for a time. When I have filed and painted my nails nicely I tend to leave them alone a bit and also when they are dirty, such as gardening or otherwise unpleasant, such as bleaching the bathroom. I'm trying to stop smoking atm which doesn't help!

Original poster

Comealongpond89 · 11/08/2018 07:16

Wow. I can't believe so many of us do it. I've never met anyone who does it too. We should start a support thread! I'm def going to look into things to make my skin heal and go from there

OP posts:

Flip

1 2 3

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.