Nibbling on my cuticles...help.

bagnshoofetish

bagnshoofetish

Oh. Gee.
O.G.
Feb 12, 2006
33,558
3,108
#1
I chew the hell out of my cuticles and the surrounding skin as well. I know its a nervous habit but I've been doing it on and off since I was a kid.
Does anyone else have/had this problem and what did you do to stop? (I'm not going to put hot sauce on my fingers either so don't even suggest that!)

:sos:
 
#6
I pick at my cuticles....I hate that i do it but like you it's been a bad habit since childhood.
For me, it helps to have my nails painted. But sometimes nothing can stop me!
I also have bought all kinds of cuticle creams to keep them moisturized: Burts Bees, Rosebud salve and a good body butter. They don't completely do the trick but somewhat.
 
#7
i've never played with my cuticles, but i had a nasty habit of biting my nails and it led to bad cuticles. it was a shame because everyone told me i had nice hands, but i know my nails were not the best looking so i was a bit embarrassed by them.

like Tracy said, i keep my nails painted and if i am not planning to do them for awhile, i put on a clear coat. i know i dont want to taste polish.

i still get the urge to bite them, but it's less and less now. nice nails are my reward. they're still not strong though ... i did bite them for years.
 
#8
^^^having my nails polished helps me too. till the polish starts peeling....
has anyone ever tried one of those over the counter liquids? I am a compulsive hand washer so I'm not sure how well those would work.
 
#10
Might doing something else to your cuticles whenever you get the urge to nibble them help distract you? Perhaps you could pop a piece of gum in your mouth while you apply cuticle oil instead. I like cuticle oil pens because I can throw them in my purse and then none gets on the rest of my hands. This could also help heal your cuticles while you figure out another method to really break the habit.

If you keep them moisturized and occasionally gently push them back with an orange wood stick, they will be less likely to stretch and break as your nails grow out which might make it more difficult for you to find a corner to bite.
 
#11
The foul tasting liquids meant to deter nail biting do wash off, but they also make foul tasting nail polishes that stay on for longer. As you mentioned that might be worth looking into. When I was a kid I used to bite my nails and in an effort to stop I tried using one of those polishes, but rather than ceasing to bite my nails I just stopped applying the polish. :P
 
#12
A male friend has this problem, so I've been doing "mini-upkeep" on his nails, to help him resist biting at them... OR his cuticles. I don't put on any polish of course, but I help him manage any hang-nails or other things that might irritate him enough to start biting again.
 
#13
asamiramirez said:
If you keep them moisturized and occasionally gently push them back with an orange wood stick, they will be less likely to stretch and break as your nails grow out which might make it more difficult for you to find a corner to bite.
Click to expand...

I used to do this but just got lazy. I'm gonna try to get into pushing them back again while I'm watching t.v. Maybe keep my kit in the t.v. room.

asamiramirez said:
When I was a kid I used to bite my nails and in an effort to stop I tried using one of those polishes, but rather than ceasing to bite my nails I just stopped applying the polish.
Click to expand...

That would be me too! :P

bunnymasseuse said:
A male friend has this problem, so I've been doing "mini-upkeep" on his nails, to help him resist biting at them... OR his cuticles. I don't put on any polish of course, but I help him manage any hang-nails or other things that might irritate him enough to start biting again.
Click to expand...

can I hire you to come to my house too? :biggrin:
 
#14
I tried that anti-biting stuff too, and I ended up getting used to the taste. :wtf: I have since discovered manicures work much better (except when they don't and my nails start getting very weak, but that's a topic for a different thread).
 
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