Nail biting, also known as onychophagia, is a common practice among young people and adults alike. This habit often develops in childhood due to boredom, hunger, or stress, but can persist into adulthood and have detrimental effects on daily life.

The dangers of biting your nails

Nail biting is painful, both for the nails and the hands. Indeed, bitten nails are damaged and become fragile, brittle, and deformed.

Similarly, your hands and cuticles will be affected by this bad habit.

Furthermore, nail biting increases the risk of transmitting germs and bacteria from the hand to the mouth, and the risk of infections. Indeed, bitten nails can lead to infection by germs, which can result in the development of fungal infections at the tips of the nails.

Finally, nail biting also damages teeth, creating micro-trauma and eroding, or even scratching, tooth enamel. In the long run, this can lead to serious dental problems in both children and adults.

Tips to stop biting your nails

Becoming truly aware of this habit helps to reduce it

Nail biting often reflects a deeper underlying problem such as stress or boredom. It's important to identify the sources of this distress and address these issues rather than suppressing the symptoms by biting your nails.

Identify the situations in which you bite your nails, as well as the emotional triggers, and find alternative methods to alleviate your habit. For example, you could try relaxation techniques, meditation, physical activity, or even hypnosis!

Find a distraction so you don't put your fingers in your mouth anymore.

Keep your hands busy by holding an object, a small stress toy for example, and reduce the temptation to occupy your mouth by chewing gum.

We would like to draw your attention to the fact that applying deterrent products, such as bitter-tasting nail polish, is ineffective. Indeed, the bitter taste is generally not a sufficient deterrent and does not help you solve your problem effectively.

Having beautiful nails: you won't want to damage them anymore!

A clever solution to help you stop biting your nails is to wear false nails, especially reusable ones, which you can find on our website . Wearing false nails allows you to have a beautiful manicure and conceal your natural nails while protecting them. For short, bitten nails, you should use short false nails .

Reusable false nails are usually produced from strong, hard materials, which will prevent you from biting and chewing them.

Keep your nails short and well-groomed to reduce the temptation to bite them, and file them regularly to ensure they have a uniform shape and prevent biting. Also, take care of your cuticles and the skin around your nails!