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AIBU?

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Original poster

To ask how you stopped nail biting

103 replies

yoursworried · 05/07/2019 17:40

I'm 33 and have severely bitten my nails for as long as I can remember. It looks horrible but I barely know I'm doing it.

Today I had to go to the doctors with a very painful infection round the nail which involved draining and now a course of antibiotics. It's been a painful and expensive lesson and I'm a bit ashamed really as it's entirely self-inflicted by a mindless habit that worsens when I'm a bit anxious (like now as about to move and start a new job)

I am prompted to try again to give up but I've failed many times. The bad tasting stuff isn't enough for me - I can mindlessly chew through that so I am searching for any tried and tested ideas from the ever experienced mumsnetters. Thanks in advance

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
Mayday19 · 05/07/2019 18:49

Weirdly when I have false nails I don't bite them at all or even think about it - as soon as they come off I bite any regrowth that has appeared Blush I have left off the falsies for now - hoping they will grow more as it's the summer - and am trying my hardest not to bite, or nibble, or just trim a bit round the edges... it is so easy to undo your good work Sad

Livelovebehappy · 05/07/2019 18:51

Reading with interest. I’ve bit my nails forever, and they would look absolutely awful if I didn’t have my nails done every month with acrylics. Sometimes I have the acrylics taken off and my real nails have grown a bit underneath - I then have shellac painted on them which is like tough gel and does stop me biting for a bit (might work for you?)but then I start again. Like you I don’t even realise I do it and am really self conscious of them. I think it’s a stress release for me, a bit like smoking or drinking is for some people.

Original poster
yoursworried · 05/07/2019 18:51

@MadeinBelfast urgh that's horrible. This is basically what happened to me today but I was quick to have it sorted as it was getting worse really fast. All over a bitten nail ...

OP posts:
SinkGirl · 05/07/2019 18:52

I know it sounds daft but I got some chew toys designed for people / kids with sensory issues / ASD (my sons have lots of them). Something else to chew on helped.

Original poster
yoursworried · 05/07/2019 18:53

@SinkGirl doesn't sound daft- I'll try anything !

OP posts:
drowningincustard · 05/07/2019 19:02

My 6 year old is exactly the same - had to start an antibiotics course this week as one finger got infected and I couldn't get rid of it with antiseptics...
Not sure that I can implement any of the suggestions on her though :-(
Might try the blue nail varnish when she breaks up for the summer...

Pebbles16 · 05/07/2019 19:05

My MIL aged 79 has just stopped biting her nails. I noticed recently and asked. She said she just thought it was about time she stopped. I know that's not practical advice but, like all addictions (whether nail biting, booze or drugs), you will stop when you are ready. Good luck!

Mauhea · 05/07/2019 19:10

My solution was a bit on the ruthless side! Popped a hairband around my wrist. Whenever I caught myself nibbling I'd give myself a proper twang. Did not take long to learn at all...

GiggleMcDimples · 05/07/2019 19:12

Try using plasters. I stopped biting mine as a competition between me and a friend in school when we were about 16.
But if you put plasters on them then every time you go to bite them you're faced with a gross plaster.

JammyGem · 05/07/2019 19:14

Thanks for the thread OP, it's given me some good ideas!
For those who said about acrylics, I've tried the ones you do yourself at home but they always seem either too long or just don't last longer than a day. I went to a nail bar a couple years ago and the rather rude lady was disgusted and refused to do mins saying they were too short to have acrylics put on. I've been scared to ask anywhere else since! Seems like she was just being funny, so I'll ask at one of the other places in town.

Original poster
yoursworried · 05/07/2019 19:18

My MIL aged 79 has just stopped biting her nails. I noticed recently and asked

Wow well done to your MIL. I hope I can kick if before my 70s though! Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
yoursworried · 05/07/2019 19:22

Here is a photo of how bad they've got. Posting it to make myself feel embarrassed Grin

To ask how you stopped nail biting
OP posts:
chachaboom · 05/07/2019 19:22

Went on holiday to the far east and realised I'd probably get the shits if I kept sticking my hands in my mouth. 2 weeks later my nails had grown and I didn't want to wreck them.

Still bite a bit but not a lot. I put nail varnish on if I feel I'm doing it too much, stops me. Just think of the germs!

Theseptemberissues · 05/07/2019 19:24

I bit my down to stumps and used to bite the skin around as well, they looked awful. Then one day when I was teaching a pupil said loudly ‘err your nails are disgusting!’ as I passed him something. The public humiliation in front of a class of teenagers was enough to stop my biting! Not bitten them for around 5 years now.

stucknoue · 05/07/2019 19:26

Nail extensions. Ok expensive but it's cured the biting and my incessant head scratching.

Pebbles16 · 05/07/2019 19:26

OP. It's never too late!

stayathomer · 05/07/2019 19:28

Best of luck OP and don't be ashamed of the infection, it happened but you're trying to fix it. It's a hard habit to fix but you'll get there!!

namechange34 · 05/07/2019 19:29

I started getting shellac done. Was embarrassing the first couple of times as there was almost no nails to paint but 2 years on and I have never bitten again. I do need to keep up with the shellac though...I have a suspicion I would start biting again if I didn't.

Original poster
yoursworried · 05/07/2019 19:32

@namechange34 I should probably understand this but is Shellac just a tough nail polish or do you have to have extensions for it? I guess I'm asking if I'd still be able to play the piano if I had shellac straight onto my (tiny) nails

OP posts:
GleefulGlitch · 05/07/2019 19:33

I painted them everyday.
I bit my nails for over 30 years and I tried everything from jelly to foul tasting nail stuff but it did not stop me.

Every evening I had a routine of pushing down my cuticles, filing what little nail i had and removing hang nails. Then I painted them.
They looked shit at first but because i spent time looking after them and could see growth because i paid attention to them daily I no longer wanted to bite them.

Its a habit and to change a habit you need to change the routine.

youllhavehadyourtea · 05/07/2019 19:39

I painted my nals with nude varnish every night for a week, ( paint over the old stuff next day) then cleaned it all off and started again at the weekend. Did this for a few weeks and wow, nails!

I find that I have to keep this up to stop the biting again. If I don't wear the varnish, I relapse and start biting.

I will never have beautiful fingers and elegant nails ( the nail bed has spread from decades of biting) but they look much better and they don't hurt!

mookinsx · 05/07/2019 19:43

I stuck on false nails and that works for me

namechange34 · 05/07/2019 19:45

Shellac is just tough nail polish so you can keep your nails as short as you like.

namechange34 · 05/07/2019 19:47

These were my nails about 6 weeks into shellac

To ask how you stopped nail biting
Daffodil77 · 05/07/2019 19:50

The boots no bite stuff is much worse than the stop and go stuff. I also use OPI nail envy, which is great for strengthening your nails. I've had gels before but find they peel at the edges. As soon as that happens I start picking at them which ruins the nail underneath. The OPI stuff worked a treat at repairing them.

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