Stopping my Nail-Biting Habit

[AmberWaves]

Hey all, I''m getting engaged the first week of April, and I''d like my hands to be great for the handshots I know you''ll be expecting, so just how do I stop the biting? Honestly, they are ragged and unflattering. Any advice?

 

[Kaleigh]

Doesn''t Sally Hansen make a product for this that tastes yucky??

 

[Caribou]

I had this horrible habit too. Then one day, I just stopped.. I really can''t remember what ephihany I had to stop.

Anywho, my cuticles and skin around my nails get really dry especially in the winter time, so I use a cuticle cream (Sally Hansen Cuticle Massage Cream) and lotion specfically for hands and nails (I''m a lotion whore), then I use a nail protein polish (it''s also Sally Hansen but I can''t remember the name, it''s green though). This always does the trick, I always notice a difference within days. I find that if you use any good cuticle cream and nail protein, you''re good to go.

Good luck.

 

[Momoftwo]

What I did when I was 12 was stop by using polish because I figured it had to be poisonous to eat and I just decided to quit. Worked great. I haven''t bitten my nails in 34 years.

 

[Caribou]

Date: 1/31/2006 3:03:25 PM
Author: kaleigh
Doesn''t Sally Hansen make a product for this that tastes yucky??

I think they do but from a former nail biter, it doesn''t work. I think stuff like that works better for kids, because you have apply it constantly. Plus, you can get past the nasty taste.

 

[Kaleigh]

Ok how about getting a nice manicure. Once they start shaping up and looking nice you won''t want to bite them.

 

[sevens one]

How about getting an acrylic over-lay on your nails.
I don''t think you''d want to chomp on them. Do this for a while until you''ve quicked the habit- and then go back to natural nails.
(just a thought)

 

[Lorelei]

I stopped a while ago by keeping my bitten nails a soft pink, it reminded me to stop chewing them and kept my cuticles done too which helped. Nails show improvement really quickly which will keep you motivated. If all else fails the wraps are a good idea and as Kaleigh says a professional manicure would be good start and the technician can give you lost of tips on caring for your nails. Even bitten nails look so much better with the cuticles done, the ragged ends removed and a pale polish, you would be surprised. If you start now your nails will be in great shape come April.

 

[FireGoddess]

I just keep mine painted. Who wants to eat nail polish?

This worked like a charm when I bit my nails. I don't do that anymore but they do break easily - and the polish trick works for that as well. I find having my nails unpolished is just usually inviting something bad to happen to them.

I use Essie ridge filling base coat. I don't have ridges, but it's a thicker base coat and is nice for protecting nails prone to peeling or breaking, etc.

Two coats of polish (I love the cute ones - forget the brand - that even have a little crystal on the bottle - diamond hard or something) and then a coat of clear polish.

ETA: I also agree about kicking off the new regimen with a manicure - my nails seem to grow faster when I get them.

 

[monarch64]

I think if you spend the money on manicures you might be more likely to stop biting them...it would be like eating cash!

Also, maybe you can find something else to chew on for a while--gum, hard candy, something that will satisfy your need to nibble. I don''t bite my nails but I am bad about keeping them painted and well-groomed. The farthest I usually get in between once a month salon mani''s is filing them so they''re all the same length at least.

 

[hlmr]

Hi Amberwaves:

I used to bite my nails many years ago and one thing that really helped me stop was the realization of how many disgusting germs I was putting in my mouth on a daily basis, because there is noooo way my fingers could have been clean all of the time, no matter how often I washed them.

I also agree that having acrylic nails put on would really help you break the habit!

Good luck

Heather

 

[SeattleSparkle]

My vote is for consistent manicures. Not only will you not bite them, you won''t be able to because they''ll probably get stronger. I just love the look of a french manicure ... sigh .... maybe that''s what I need to do this evening ...

April? !! (sigh) I''m super jealous and super happy for you at the same time!!

 

[AmberWaves]

Thanks everyone! I agree the consensus is the manicure and constant nail polishing! I have terrible nails, too, they always peel! And then one it peels, it bends, and yadda yadda yadda!

It makes me feel like such a schlub! If I don''t get home soon enough tonight, I''m going to paint them myself, my boyfriend got me a whole mani/pedi kit for christmas. Wait a minute.. what the hell! He''s trying to tell me something! Dang! Anyway, Seattle, thanks, and don''t feel too jealous, we''ve got the setting already, and we''re getting the stone together, so it''s not really a surprise. In fact, I''m so NOT surprised right now, I''ve totally forgotten to search for the stone, and I''m just planning the wedding! I''m such a spaz.

 

[Morticia]

AmberWaves, I''m right there with you. I go back and forth, between nasty bitten nails, to pretty nails. It''s a terrible habit. When I get nervous, I bite. Ugh.

Anyway, Neutrogena makes a nail Enhancer that really works well. Only problem, it''s clear but it gives your nails that nice, clean buffed look. I really felt like it helped my nails grow too. So, once I used it, I went for weekly manicures. I wouldn''t have the manicurist paint my nails at all. I would just have them clean them up, push the cuticles back, etc, for a while and then put my nail enhancer on them immediately afterwards. It really helped my nails. Then, once they got to nice length, I painted them.

More often though, I just used the Nail Enhancer b/c I am not into colored nails for myself. I like clear polish.

 

[qtiekiki]

Nail polish didn''t stop me from biting my nails but then again that was 15 years ago. I kind of just stop cold turkey because when I was 10, we saw a girl in her early 20''s trying to hide her nasty biten nails in the MTR (that''s like the subway in Hong Kong). I just thought to myself that I don''t want to be embarrassed about my nails when I am that age, and I just stopped after that. Anyways I don''t bite them anymore, but I still ocassionally chew on them when I am anxious. I think you just need to be determined.

 

[Mara]

I used to bite when I was younger aka teenager, the only thing that stopped was getting fake acrylic nails.

I had them for about 2-3 years on and off, and after I had them off permanently, I didn't bite and I still don't.

Funny habit but mine was not TOO hard to break..knock on wood of course!!

I will say also that having beautiful rings to wear on my hands REALLY makes me never want to bite again, I've seen some pictures where there are stunning rings and bitten to the quick nails which is just so not an appealing visual! I think I take better care of my hands and nails after getting engaged than ever before!! Such female silliness but true.

 

[tawn]

My aunt gets the acrylic so she won''t bite hers!

I get the fake ones because my nails peel and break, and I get dry cuticles and extremely painful hangnails! For some reason, my cuticles have been perfect the last few years with the acrylic nails?

 

[Shay37]

I''m late to this, but I used to bite mine too. I wouldn''t so much bite as grab the tips in my mouth and rip them off. This would occur in the middle of watching the Dallas Cowboys play on whatever day they happened to be playing. How I broke the habit is to identify when I was more likely to chew. Then instead of chewing, I got a buffer. I would buff my nails instead of biting. It was amazing. I went from having horrible nails to having beautiful nails. It really worked for me. the buffer was mindless which is what a habit is anyway, and it satisfied the need to include my nails in the nervousness. HTH

shay

 

[ame]

I got gel nails. If you can find a salon near you that does BRISA Gel by Creative Nail Design, they don''t scrape up your real nails with the power drill like the other places will. They look great, are strong as hell and will keep you from nibbling.

 

[appletini]

I have strong nails, but I have a bad habit of picking them, usually due to stress or boredom. use a nail strengthener and also get weekly manicures. With the manicures you can pick the polish instead of your nails, and the weekly manicures give you some accountability with your nail technition. I was so proud yesterday when I went in and had only picked one nail. Also get a stress ball to use at home/work. You can hold the ball instead of biting your nails.

 

[sarita]

Date: 1/31/2006 7:48:56 PM
Author: Mara
I used to bite when I was younger aka teenager, the only thing that stopped was getting fake acrylic nails.

I had them for about 2-3 years on and off, and after I had them off permanently, I didn''t bite and I still don''t.

Funny habit but mine was not TOO hard to break..knock on wood of course!!

I will say also that having beautiful rings to wear on my hands REALLY makes me never want to bite again, I''ve seen some pictures where there are stunning rings and bitten to the quick nails which is just so not an appealing visual! I think I take better care of my hands and nails after getting engaged than ever before!! Such female silliness but true.

Gosh I wish this was the case for me! It makes sense alright. But guilty as charged here... I did the fakes for a while and I guess it helped in that there was physically no way to bite the real ones. But when I took them off I bit again and they got infected and nasty so I figured chewed and unifected was better than that. I can do the hardner for a few days before picking it off because I want to bite again.

I''m getting better but just not ready to throw in the towel yet. I go a few days before a biting binge now. But it''s so satiisfying I can''t shake it off! I''m chewing them now as I type this....

 

[rainbowtrout]

I bite my cuticles, not my nails I have been trying to stop since christmas and they are getting slowly better, although less so when under stress.

i can''t seem to keep them happily moistureised, though---maybe I will try the cream. I have some oil and a cuticle clipper I use now to keep them decently nice.

My dad suggested that the way to stop was to CONSCIOUSlY bite my nails when I wasn''t nervous, and this would be gross and put me off the habit.

 

[AmberWaves]

Hi all! Now I''m looking at my ragged horrible nails and I realized I haven''t bitten them in a week! Interesting. I did have them painted, but I don''t think I''d get acrylics, because those make me want to chew even more. I crack the nail off my real nail, and everything just gets all messed up! ame''s idea sounds good, but I think I''m going to see how far I can take these ones. I''m prone to peeling, too. My hands are always dry, no matter what I put on them. I don''t understand! My boyfriend is outside all day coaching and playing sports and his hands are softer than mine! What happened? I''m also a cuticle chewer, but I just need to find out when I''m doing it. The buffer idea sounds very very good. Thanks everyone!