10 Effective Ways to Stop Biting Your Nails

People often bite their nails when they are nervous and anxious. Sometimes this habit becomes compulsive, causing many problems and damaging both appearance and health. However, it is possible to overcome this habit by following certain rules. As a bonus, we will show you the hands of people who managed to transform themselves in a short time.

Identify the triggers.

Identify the moments when you feel the urge to bite your nails and what triggers it. It could be when checking your email or composing a letter. Maybe it happens when you’re watching a TV series. After identifying those moments, you can change your routine and be more aware of the urge to bite your nails.

Cut them as much as you can.

Always keep your nail clipper nearby. The moment you notice that your nails have become even just a bit longer, trim them. Even that little chipped nail needs to be clipped and not bitten. So when the urge starts, reach for your nail clipper. When they’re short, they won’t be as satisfying to bite.

Find activities to keep your fingers busy.

This can vary from person to person. We all have different hobbies, so it’s good to think about using one as a defense mechanism. Create illustrations, paint, knit, or simply sit on your hands, fold them together, put them in your pocket, or try doodling or clicking a pen.

Keep your mouth busy too.

Keeping your mouth busy will help a lot when it comes to avoiding nail-biting. You’ll see that after some time, the impulse to bite your nails will go away. Start chewing gum and eating hard candy or mints. You can also keep a water bottle nearby and take a sip whenever you reach for your nails.

Keep a nail file close to you.

Get yourself a few nail files and place them around the house, in your pocket, and in your purse. This way, you won’t have an excuse to bite your nails. When the impulse starts, grab your nail file and start tending to your nails one by one.

Use your phone to keep your fingers busy.

Your phone can now become your best friend and your helper. But since we pass our free time by scrolling through social media, one of our hands is often free, which becomes a target for biting. Download a few games that require 2 hands to play. You can also start writing some stories in your notes just to get your attention away from your nails.

Wear gloves or bandage up the fingers.

Since it’s hard to catch yourself before you go for a bite, you should consider covering your nails. There are 2 ways you can do this: either bandage your nails or wear gloves.

Once you bandage your nails, it will be a constant reminder that you shouldn’t bite them. In fact, you can even use clear tape as a more discreet option. Gloves are also great for when you’re at home because you won’t need to change the tape or bandage constantly.

Bitter-flavored nail polish

Use a nail polish that has a bitter flavor. This is a safe chemical with a very strong, long-lasting flavor. When applying it, make sure to cover the whole nail along with the surrounding skin. Its awful taste will repel you. Make it a habit by applying this nail polish every morning.

Place a rubber band on your wrist and focus on it when the urge starts.

Placing a rubber band on your wrist will help to deter the urges. So when you lift your arm to bite your nails, start playing with the rubber band instead.

Get a beautiful manicure

Try to give yourself a nice manicure or, even better, visit a salon. When you’ve put effort and money into making your nails look beautiful, you’ll likely be less inclined to ruin them by biting. Also, maintaining well-groomed and attractive nails can remind you to avoid the habit.

Bonus: success stories from people who stopped biting their nails.

“It’s been 60 days! I’m so proud of myself right now. I used cuticle oils/creams every day. I did not keep them polished until around day 55.”

“One month difference!”

“6.5 months, who is she? I use OPI nail envy as a base which I think has helped a lot. Also, for like the first four months of growing, they were super thin so I kept them quite short during that time”

Examples of people who have overcome harmful habits are inspiring. Just look at the beautiful manicure that can be done on strong, healthy nails.