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Do you bite your nails or chew your cuticles? Nail biting is a common problem and there are many ways to stop this habit. It is best to start by trying to understand why you do it first. Despite what you may think, nail biting is serious enough to consider stopping. Extreme nail biting (onychophagia) is a common bad habit, which may leave you with sore and bloody fingers that can spur on infection. This can make shaking someone’s hand pretty uncomfortable.

What causes onychophagia?

Nail biters often cannot stop their habit because they are unaware of when they are doing it. Onychophagia is common among children and remains a habit long after they have grown. There are three main reasons why we bite our nails. Many of us use it as a soothing technique when we are stressed. Nail biting has a calming effect on the nervous system and reduces stimulation.

Some nail biters find that it has the opposite effect. They bite their nails when they are bored. The practice of nail biting, in this case, has a stimulating effect on the nervous system and may be used to keep the nail biter alert and less distracted.

A few nail biters spend hours examining their fingers looking for the smallest imperfection. The irony is that instead of fixing it, they usually end up making their fingers look worse, causing even more damage to the skin and nail.

Why should I stop?

The habit seems harmless, so most nail biters do not consider stopping, but the results can be damaging. Nail biting can not only lead to infection, but breaking the skin causes bruising and bleeding and biting leaves the nail bed fragile.

Nail damage is very visible and may leave you feeling embarrassed. We use our hands on a daily basis and it is important to keep them clean and healthy. Plus, it is more fun to pamper your nails than mutilate them.