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Healthy Living

Nail Biting

Sam  Views: 2605  3 min read

Nail biting is a common stress relieving habit often happens unconsciously. Nail biting is when you are continuously placing your nails near your mouth and using your teeth to bite your nails.  

 Nail biting includes biting the cuticle and soft tissue surrounding the nails as well as biting the nail itself. Many may bite their nails without realizing they are doing it. People might be involved in other activities such as, reading, watching television, or talking on the phone, and bite their nails without thinking about it .

 Many people who bite their nails may not be aware about it until others point out the problem to them. Researchers have found that people who are generally impatient, or frustrated easily tend to get involved in repetitive body focused behaviors such as skin- picking, nail biting or eyelash pulling.

 Nail biting most often occur during puberty. However, young adults also bite their nails. A small number of older adults bite their nails. Most people stop biting their nails by age 30 without any kind of treatment.

 Some people unintentionally start to depend on nail biting as the only way to keep their nails short. People tend to bite all nails a uniform length.

 Nail biting may cause red and sore fingertips and sometimes cuticles may bleed. It also increases risk of nail bed infections. Furthermore, it also contributes to infections of mouth too. If this habits persist for long time, it can also interfere normal nail growth and cause deformed nails.

 According to the Mayo Clinic, nail biting is not only bad hygiene, but also can contribute to skin infections, increase the risks of colds and other infections as well as spread germs from the nails and fingers..

 How to get rid of nail biting?

Here are some measures to get rid of nail biting.

 Place something on your hand

Since nail biting is unconscious act, you are less likely to be aware that you are doing it. Place something such as, band aid or gloves, on your nails to prevent yourself from biting your nails. On applying band aid or gloves, nail biting becomes impossible.

 Keep nails trimmed and filed

Taking good care of nails can help reduce nail biting habit and even enforce you to keep your nails attractive.

 Stress management

If you bite your nails because you are anxious or stressed, stress management techniques might help you. Stress management techniques includes taking slow and deep breaths, listening to soothing music, meditation, massage, keeping yourself busy in different activities and having warm drink that does not contain alcohol or caffeine.

 Nail polish

Paint  a bitter tasting nail polish on your nails so that the awful taste will remind you to stop every time you start to bite your nails

 Get involved in other activities

Switch on to other activities such as, drawing, writing or squeezing ball or silly putty, when you find yourself biting your nails. This would prevent you from biting your nails.

 Children are more likely to bite their nails when they have problems with friends or at school. In such cases, talk to your child or their teacher in school. Seek medical help if not resolved in spite of following possible measures. Older adults should seek psychiatric help if the problem continues for long period.


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Sam
Sam
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