How to STOP bitting the skin around the nails...

MarikaBe

MarikaBe

Knowledgeable Member
Jan 31, 2014
70
0
#1
OKAY, MAJOR LONG LASTING ISSUE!!!!!

Those of you who have been doing it know EXACTLY how difficult it is to stop it...

STOP BITTING & TEARING THE SKIN AROUND THE NAILS...

At the begining, it's just stress related, I guess...

Then, you do it cause you feel that by removing just this little piece, you'll be ok after...

Then, this 2nd step turns out to be the very beigining of a viscious circle..

And you just keep doing it to the point where it bleeds and really hurts :shucks:

HOW TO STOP?????????

I have tried everything and now, I'm even considering Hypnosis!!!!

Do you have tricks, tips...

Should we start a 30-day challenge of some sort?!!

SOS!!!!!
 
#2
I have the same problem. I don't bite my nails but I tear up the skin around it. I've tried oils so they are not so dry. My worst habit. I can't stop picking at them.

The only thing that works for me is when I go for a manicure, I won't pick at them for about a week cause I don't want to mess it up. But I hate going for mani's so I don't go often.
 
#3
They sell an ointment that you put on your fingers that taste nasty. I don't know what it's called but a pharmacist should know.

My mother used it on me as a child to prevent me from sucking on my thumb.
 
#4
I used to pick my nails very badly (until they bled!) but have managed to get out of this habit, but still pick the skin around the nail.
I have tried every trick in the book and the only thing that works is if I feel myself picking, i slather on tonnes of hand cream.
The pro is that my hands feel great, but the con is that I need to have hand cream with me everywhere I go and if I don't I find myself picking again rather quickly.
 
#7
xikry5talix said:
I have this problem too and nothing has worked for me. If anyone has kicked the habit, please share your secret!
Click to expand...

I didn't pick the skin at all when I used to get acrylic nails.

I don't get acrylic anymore, I do my own gel nail polis, but it makes it harder to pick as it makes your nail thicker and takes away some of the sharpness.. Plus you get annoyed if you pick and it pops one off and you have to re-do the gel!
 
#9
_Lee said:
I didn't pick the skin at all when I used to get acrylic nails.

I don't get acrylic anymore, I do my own gel nail polis, but it makes it harder to pick as it makes your nail thicker and takes away some of the sharpness.. Plus you get annoyed if you pick and it pops one off and you have to re-do the gel!
Click to expand...

I've had acrylics before and I really hated how my nails looked after I took them off. I should try getting regular gel manis and break the habit. Its so difficult!
 
#10
xikry5talix said:
I've had acrylics before and I really hated how my nails looked after I took them off. I should try getting regular gel manis and break the habit. Its so difficult!
Click to expand...

Me too, that's why I stopped acrylics and started getting gel nails at the salon so that I could grow my natural nails. I can't completely fault acrylics though, as they were the only thing strong enough for me not to bite and pick off and eventually helped me stop biting my nails.

Eventually I bought my own UV lamp and gel polishes and now do my own nails - the gels are pricey compared to normal polish (approx. £15-20 from Sally), but if you consider that that is how much is was costing me for one gel mani at the salon, it made sense.
 
#11
I used to bite my nails AND the skin around the nails, and while I've solved the nail biting problem (by wearing nail polish and making them look nice...eventually the urge went away) I still bite the skin from time to time.

I would suggest a very bitter (but amazing smelling!) lotion. I actually use Soap & Glory's Sugar Crush lotion and let me tell you--this stuff smells AMAZING (like lime margaritas and lemon cake all in one) but you have to watch what you touch and put in your mouth afterwards! A couple of mornings, I put this lotion on, then go down to eat breakfast, and forget and eat toast with my hands...big mistake. The taste is hard to get out.

The other thing that I do now is keep a tiny nail clipper at the office. This is usually the time when I tend to bite/peel the skin around my nails. If I see a little loose piece, I clip it off neatly. Eventually there are no loose ends to bite/pick at....
 
#12
I have the same issue but only pick at the skin when it's dry. I bought Dior Apricot cuticle cream... It's pricey but amazing and so worth it! Moisturizes cuticles/skin to the point where if I try to pick nothing lifts!!!!

They sell it at sephora. Nothing else compares to this stuff. And makes your nails/skin look like you just got a manicure.
 
#13
I've suffered from the same problem for many, many years and am making a strong effort to change my habits. Luckily these tips have worked for me over the past few years but I definitely go back to my bad habits when I am stressed out. The best things I can suggest are:

1--keeping your nails manicured, even if you don't want them polished, just having a clear coat so they look well-groomed. Personally, I find that keeping my nails short helps to discourage me from bad cuticle habits. I never go to the nail salon, I do it myself and always with something fun/relaxing like watching TV. Then, you'll start to associate pretty nails and feeling good with a sense of calm/relaxation (I know it sounds kind of crazy, but you're basically just training yourself into a good habit).

2--I keep a jar or stick of cuticle balm VISIBLE, AT MY DESK when I'm at work (and one in my purse) to keep my skin moisturized, which again discourages the bad habit. I like the stick by Rainbow Honey ("indie" polish brand) and the Burt's Bees lemon balm. If you feel the need to bite, just slather on the balm.

3--I have a cuticle tool, nail clipper and nail file in my desk in case I do have a legit hangnail or something, I can take care of it safely with the correct tools rather than biting/picking to make it worse.

4--I tend to start picking if I have nail polish that's chipped/peeling and it just snowballs the problem; I'll go for my cuticles too, ugh. I'm trying to get in the habit of just taking off my nail polish right away, safely, with a remover like Zoya (which has acetone but also moisturizes) to eliminate the desire to start picking at peeling polish!

I hope these tips help you, too!
 
#14
I pick at mine to but since ive been getting gel polish i dont so much my nails grow really long thank fully i have not been doing picking and biting so much with polish.My nail person can tell i do it as my skin when wet looks bad guess it damaged cuticles .I used to make my fingers bleed terribly was painful but stress made me do it.
 
#15
I'd suggest getting into doing your nails. I had similar problems before and when I started paying better attention to my nails it distracted me, instead of biting I'd file or polish or lotion et cetera.
 
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