How You Can Stop Biting Your Nails

For some people, biting their nails has been a long, anxious childhood habit. Some people go down to the cuticle and even eat away the skin of the fingertips. Sometimes it is a nervous habit, a bored habit, or some just like the feel of the rubbery skin and the crunchiness of the nails. Whatever the reason you have for biting your nails, it is time to stop.

So, exactly why do people bite their nails?

1) Your doctor may tell you that it is a sign of a calcium deficiency. There is some calcium in the nails, so your body may be asking for calcium that it is not getting. Chewing on things and grinding your teeth down has sometimes been considered another sign of a calcium deficiency or a deficiency of some other substances.

2) It could be a nervous habit. Many people do strange things to relieve anxiety, and biting nails is one of them.

3) Infants will bite their nails sometimes when they are hungry, points out stopbitingnails.com. Sometimes it could be sheer hunger that makes you nibble on that growing keratin.

Whatever your reason for biting and/or eating, it is time to stop. But how can you go about it?

1) Nailbiting.com offers a "Stop Biting Nails" treatment that may work for you. Mama might have tried putting vinegar or any bitter substance she could think of on your fingers to stop the habit, but you may want to try the "Control-It!" treatment offered on that site so you can quit the habit. A direct link will be provided at the end of this article.

2) Chew gum. You may be someone with an oral fixation who just needs to have something being chewed on or in their mouth at all times. It is better to chew gum so you can get your constant chew action on rather than your nails and fingertips.

3) Try to get more calcium in your diet. If a calcium deficiency is the problem, you may want to consider increasing your calcium intake. Eat lots of fish with high calcium contents. Women in general have a harder time absorbing calcium, so taking calcium supplements is generally recommended by doctors, especially in women over a certain age who can experience loss of bone density.

4) Get control of your nervousness and anxiety. Bottom line, if the root of the problem is nerves and anxiety, you need a better way to battle it and channel the nerves than eating away your skin and nails. In some extreme cases, it may take therapy to help people overcome some of the nerves that they have. You need to find a healthier way to deal with your stress and issues. Whatever your particular stress, it is worth running a google search to find other people who have your same anxiety and how they channel it. Excessive biting of nails and fingertips may be considered by some as a form of self-mutilation, so whatever your stress, find a better way to cope with it.

5) Use other alternatives. Some people find small rubber balls fun and helpful to squeeze instead of biting their nails. Some just use the feeling of grip to conquer it. Whether it be the edge of a table, grabbing a book or a pillow, try different alternatives that may offer you the same relief.

6) Lotion your hands. Many nail-biters get the urge to bite when their fingers feel dry. It is easier to nibble when nails and fingertips are drier and crunchier. Whenever you feel your hands becoming dry, lotion them. This will detract you from biting.

7) Get a manicure. You will feel less enticed to bite your newly done, pretty, expensive nails. This may seem like a silly tip, but if your nails already look bad and you are not taking care of them, you may feel more inclined to just continue biting them. Get them done up really nicely and this will help you stir away from munching. Better yet, get fake nails. This does not mean ripping off the nails with your teeth and nibbling away at your real ones. You have a barrier there, so do not strip away the barrier and lower your defenses.

If those tips do not work for you, there is also a scared-straight tactic that may be efficient. So, what negative effects are there to biting your nails? So, so many. Be prepared to be scared.

1) You can drive people insane with that nibbling, crunching sound. It can sometimes be offensive and particularly embarrassing. Ever try biting your nails on a first date with someone? Well, don't.

2) Bitten nails and stripped skin off the fingertips will age your hands quicker than you can say 'botox'! Nails and tips that are bitten up look much older and less attractive than ones that are not. Cuticles are pushed further and further down, making the fingers and the skin above the nails and cuticles look like stubs.

3) Germs can be underneath your nails or imbedded in them. You could even have a nail infection and not know it, and there you are munching away like you are in heaven! Swallowing these nails can put these germs inside your system. You're already breathing in and eating germs every second of the day, so do you really want more to the list?

4) Although it is hard to find real scientific information about the digestive dangers of swallowing nails, as it is not a good idea to swallow hair because it can build up in the system and not be digested (imagine stomach hair balls that clog your system up), you'll want to avoid swallowing your nails. Some myths say that nails will not digest properly, clogging up your digestive system. A clogged up system means a good ol' doctor visit that may or may not require going under the knife. Don't have the insurance for that? Stop biting now. Nothing is scarier than a bill to pay.

Quitting a nail biting habit is hard and will not happen overnight. But if you get some help, consider these tips, you may be on your way to preventing further biting. Good luck and no more munching.

Source:

Stop Biting Nails Website. http://www.stopbitingnails.com/A_Nail_Biting_Article_1.htm.