How to Stop Biting Your Nails, According to Someone Who Knows
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@ROSIEHW
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@ANNAWINCKIt seems weird, I know, but keeping my nails short actually helped me grow them. The minute that nails start to get a little longer, they have a tendency to catch and irritate. As soon as mine started snagging, I’d want them off. Instead, keeping them short, but well preened, helped me distance myself from the need to nibble. “The shorter your nails are, the less satisfaction you get from biting them, which hopefully means you’ll do it less,” says Denny.
To avoid any hiccups, carry a file on you at all times. That way, whenever a nail becomes sharp or troublesome, you’ve got a way of dealing with it without feeling tempted to bite.
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@LEFEVREDIARYIf you ask me, quite possibly, the most effective way to stop biting is to ensure your nails look their best at all times. One day, I managed to suck up the courage to go to a nail bar and get a gel manicure. My nails were teeny-tiny, and I could tell that the nail technician was probably struggling to find anything to work with, but it was worth it. Denny explains, “Manicures are a great way to help stop biting your nails. Why would anyone want to bite off a fresh mani?”
Personally, I find going for a gel mani is the best way to avoid mindless biting. Nibbling your way through gel requires some conscious effort, and the minute you do so, it will start to lift and peel, meaning it’s pretty much endgame. Wanting to maintain your glossy gels is the perfect incentive not to bite. Similarly, keeping your nails in tip-top condition can help things, too. “When you take pride in your nails and start to see improvements, it’s way less tempting to bite them. Take care of them with an at-home nailcare regimen and enjoy nurturing them back to good health,” says Denny.
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@BETTINALOONEYYou know how a red traffic light sends "stop" signals to our brain? It turns out red polish can do the same. “Give yourself a bright red manicure so that it’s obvious to you when your nails are near your face. Make a mental note that red means stop. Keep applying the red over your nails for 10 days. Then, remove it and see how much your nails have grown. This allows you to see how fast nails grow and how much healthier they look,” says Denny. While red might be best, any bright, eye-catching colour should do the trick!
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@THEVICSTYLESThe truth is nail-biting is so much more than just a mindless, bad beauty habit. Denny explains, “Biting your nails is usually a reflection of personal anxieties or nervousness. You can overcome the habit, but you should recognise the underlying reasons.” Every time you find yourself biting your nails, ask yourself what you were doing at the time. Identifying your biting triggers is key in helping to break the habit. “Set a goal for yourself, week by week, and within a few months, you will have beaten the problem. The reward will be beautiful, healthy nails,” says Denny.