To ask how to stop picking my nails?

[Savemynails]

I've always picked my nails ever since I was a child. I don't bite them, I pick at them and peel parts of the nail off etc. They look terrible. It's not something I do just when I'm anxious - I do it when I'm bored, walking in the street or sitting in the bus, I even stop and do it when I'm working sometimes. I do it both subconsciously without thinking, and consciously because it feels good :(

What can I do to stop this? I've searched online and people recommend getting your nails done to resist the urge to pick them. But I don't like and don't ever wear nail polish. I can't wear gloves all the time because I type a lot. Recommendations like putting something bitter tasting on your nails only work for biters but I pick them. I try telling myself my nails look awful but the urge to do it is too strong.

Please help, I'd be so grateful for any tips!

Get fake nails

If you pick your nails all the posts recommending gel polish are terrible ideas - whenever I've had mine done I've picked it all off within a day and my nails are in much worse condition, and I'm £££ down for the privilege. Gels are irresistible to pickers.

Acrylics might be better, and you could try loads of cream (I use burt's bees cuticle cream) but it's hard because they wear off/sink in so you would have to be lathering them on constantly. You could try putting a plaster over one nail until it grows ok, then move on to another until they are all long?

Honestly I think CBT would be the only long term solution.

Thank you SO much everyone for your suggestions, I didn't expect to get this many responses and I'm grateful!

As PP said, I'm afraid the nail polish may actually make them more tempting to pick when little bits fall off etc.

I think the cuticle cream/oil suggestions sound the most promising, thank you for these! @BobbieT1999 @WeAllHaveWings @BreastedBoobilyToTheStairs do you have any recommendations on what oils/creams you use?

@halesie I've looked up nailtiques and it looks really good! if you do peel off the nailtiques then do you continue to peel off your nails once you're done?

@latetothefisting thank you for the burts bees recommendation, do you just put it on in the morning and then the soft texture makes it less tempting to pick at?

I use Vaseline Hand and Nail cream, £2 a tube and does the job!

I put it on multiple times a day. It does initially make it less appealing because it softens it, but that does sink in. But I do find it soothes the cuticles/rough skin from being picked at as well..

I’ve started getting builder gel done. For the first time ever I have long nails and healthy unpicked skin around them. I use hand cream and cuticle oil regularly. But the builder also makes the nail strong and thicker so couldn’t pick even if I wanted to.

As PP said, I'm afraid the nail polish may actually make them more tempting to pick when little bits fall off etc

Gel polish doesn’t do this though. It stays rock hard until they remove it. You wouldn’t be able to pick anything!

I’ve been known to peel off gel. Not the builder though.

I've never found anything that works long term other than working checkouts at Asda (as the meat joints were packaged badly and used to regularly leak blood everywhere which convinced me that my hands were very dirty). It sadly didn't work after I left Asda. What about fiddle toys, hairband on your wrist etc? I twist my wedding ring sometimes when I'm trying to not pick my nails.

Hi OP, no with Nailtiques I just paint more on It's genuinely been the only thing that works for me as it allows me to keep picking without damaging my nails!

@Motherdare

As PP said, I'm afraid the nail polish may actually make them more tempting to pick when little bits fall off etc

Gel polish doesn’t do this though. It stays rock hard until they remove it. You wouldn’t be able to pick anything!

Not every time I've had it done. Theres always a tiny chip/overpaint on the nail somewhere and its like a red flag to a bull...then once you've pulled a bit off the rest comes off easily. if you're not a picker you won't understand. I can get a whole gel manicure off within a few hours (not a brag, it's shit!)

@Savemynails tbh baby oil in the shower when I moisturise made a bigger difference to my cuticles than anything else I tried...The key is consistency and giving it time to absorb, which I achieve with no effort in this routine.

Like others I also keep nail files handy and have a cuticle trimmer for any hang nails that become bothersome.

I retired from teaching last week, but noticed my nails grew during holidays, and also in lockdown, with remote teaching.

It's meetings that did it for me.

Pocket tin of vaseline. By the time you've got the lid off the urge will have gone probably. Or pump bottle of aveeno or neutrogena on the coffee table for when you watch tv.

If there are times when you do it without noticing wear cotton gloves or mittens eg at the bus stop

I use OPI cuticle oil. Look online as prices do vary! It’s brilliant, I use it every night before bed and rub the oil in all around the sides of my nails.

Then the body shop almond hand and nail butter.

I pick the skin on my thumb constantly. I really want to stop. I will try to keep putting on cream too. Thanks everyone