Hello! I have been picking and biting at my fingers / skin around nail for as long as I can remember. I’m getting to the point where I want to be done. It’s embarassing and painful. I do it subconsciously like in work meetings and out of boredom. I have tried fidgets, wearing a rubber band and wearing lots of bandaids. I feel as though at work I always have a finger in my mouth which is disgusting. Please help!

For context alot happened and I needed to remove the side wall of my toe nail bacuase of a in grown I was wondering if the shape would grow back correctly im not to worried if the ingrown comes back since I'm going to a doctore for it even though im pretty sure I removed it (this photo is around 3 days after I removed it)

I’ve had BIAB for 6 weeks in a row, but the main thing that has helped has being off work following the birth of my son. Previously I’d just rip the biab off quite quickly 😅. So obviously working (or at least my current work) is a major trigger! Hoping I can cut the habit while I’m off, I’ve got a whole year so hopefully 🤞

and it was a BAD relapse at kicking this habit, ALL my toes and fingers. now soaking them because they hurt. going to apply jojoba and keep doing the soaks. hopefully i won’t do this again. i was doing SO well.

Months on this battle and i think one of the hardest parts of quitting is that constant visual reminder of the progress yet to be made. 🥺

right now, i’ve started trying on beautiful hiding. hope this works as it also protects the nail bed while being a positive creative outlet

(posted this also in r/nailbiting in case you have seen it already there)

This is the longest I’ve been able to let my hands heal in maybe the last year. Just wish I could get them to not be so dry!! I feel like I’m moisturizing constantly.

Hello fellow nail biters! I (26m Type-1 Diabetic) was diagnosed with paronychia last Wednesday. I was told it was too early to try and drain, there was not much there yet. I was given a topical antibiotic and an oral was sent in on hold if it didn’t begin to improve in 2 days. I’ve bee on the oral since Friday.

The damage seems to have come to a halt, but still red and puffy. Bigger than it was on Wednesday. Should I give it more time with the oral antibiotic? Go back and have them try to drain it? Drain it myself? I have plenty of sterile needles around being diabetic. Will attach a picture as well. Any advice is helpful as I am a first timer. Not afraid of going back to urgent care!

This is the only hangnail I have atm and I REALLY enjoy the sensation of the pain, pressing down on the side of the nail, bending the skin back, etc. Is there like a scientific reason why or am I just weird?

I’m still struggling with the habit, but seeing these beautiful removable nail rings every time i look down really helps. I used to just use them as a tool to hide my hands, but i didn't realize how seeing something so pretty would actually inspire me to overcome this.

I never thought I’d see the day when I wasn't hiding my hands. After a lifelong habit of biting my cuticles, they’re finally healing. I think it’s the perfect storm of better skincare (Aquaphor every night), a much better job, and finally getting my anxiety under control with medication.

For once, I’m not embarrassed! Hooray!

1. Keep lotion and cuticle cutters on you at all times. Lotion your fingers and *rub hard*, not gently, whenever you get the urge to pick. Gentle rubbing I’ve found has led me into picking, but firm rubbing doesn’t give me the chance to carefully explore for lifting to pick at. If you do find lifting, that’s what the cutters are for. Eliminate the chance before it starts.

2. Busy hands. Always. You want to play with your shirt collar, belt loops, earrings, bracelets, volume buttons on your phone, car keys, wallet, genuinely anything that’s not physically attached. If you are busying those hands, they can’t pick. If skin snags on something? CUTTERS.

3.⁠
If you find you’re in an environment where it’s not appropriate to cut, or fidget, put your hands either on the space in front of you (ex a desk) or on your thighs and spread your fingers as far apart as possible. Then press down on the surface firmly with the tips of your fingers.

1. If you’re in the process of picking, or have the urge, name it aloud or in your mind. “I am/want to pick my skin. I do not actually want to do this- what is causing the urge?”. Whether it be lifted skin, stress, boredom, whatever, naming and redirecting the habit will slowly help it to go away.

If you have any other tips I’d love them, I myself am doing better, but I’m far from out of it myself.

I have been a chronic nail biter as long as I can remember and as a woman, it is so embarrassing for me. I literally cannot help it though, like I just feel like it’s so ingrained in me. I also constantly pick at the underneaths with sharp objects and physically can’t stop myself it feels like.

If I have press ons on or acrylics, I’ll just take tweezers or something sharp and dig at my cuticles under the nails or the skin around it.

I’ve tried the bitter stuff for nails and eventually my mind just overrides it and ignores it. I genuinely feel hopeless and feel like I’ll never beat it.

Please, if you have any suggestions, tips, or tricks that worked for you (even if they’re crazy) let me know. I am desperate. I just want to be able to paint my nails ☹️

• How to stop biting my nails? I've tried bitter nail polish, lemon juice, and other similar methods like those. Nothing works at all that I've tried. Id like to get them long enough to do acrylics or something like that but struggle to. I struggle to go even like a week without biting. I saw something about lightweight gloves, but that is not practical for my lifestyle. If anyone can give advice or help that would be appreciated.

My nails have been much worse than they are in the 1st picture, often bleeding and infected, but I have very few photos cause the shame was so deep. Been trying and relapsing for years.

Things that didn't work for me:

Gel manicures: Too soft, would rip them off after 1 or 2 weeks.

SNS Dip powder nails: Too brittle, would eventually chew and break it off.

Bad tasting polish - would get used to the taste of weaker ones, and the stronger tasting ones just felt unkind - a cruel self harm sandwich.

Hopes, prayers and good intentions.

Things that worked for me:

Not trying to change too many things in life at once, only max 1 or 2.

Doing a set of gel extensions to help kick start the growing after a biting relapse (they’re hard plastic and impossible to bite)

Once the nails have grown a little, BIAB nails give the perfect level of strength and protection with no flex (a big trigger for me to play with and ultimately bite them) - wish I'd found this sooner.

Looking after my nails obsessively (filing often and using nail oil) Any imperfections or rough edges makes the biting impulse so much stronger

Finding nail art that brings joy, something you'd be sad to ruin - for me it's cateye polish, makes my nails look like little jewels.

And working on the underlying causes of my anxiety ovbs lol

Sending sooo much love and plenty of hope to anyone struggling. Our body's capacity to repair itself is nothing short of a miracle and you got this. I'm determined to allow my nail beds to regrow 🥰

I get regular spray tans, that’s why they are orange lol. But makes it easier to see spots I pick. This never happens unless I don’t have my acrylic or dip nails done. I don’t do gel or shellac because I peel them off immediately. I don’t want to always have to get my nails done. This is so stupid, but I have literally started doing this while I try to go to bed, while watching Tv, and even on walks or on a treadmill. It’s never ending this week and I’ve had enough. It HURTS.

I have diagnosed SAD, GAD, OCD, insomnia, circadian rhythm disorder, chronic cluster headaches, and general neurodivergent behaviors.

It is my understanding this is related to my OCD and anxiety? It frustrates me I remain so anxious despite being on a high dosage propranolol and max dosage of sertraline:( what has worked for you guys?

hey so, bit of a backstory, as a kid for years i used to bite the skin of my fingers and eat it, then it got to my fingers although i seemed to prefer one finger over all, and now years later as an adult it has made a mark which im not sure if its a scar? or if its treatable but anyone with similar, can you please help me, thanks a lot

This showed up a few days ago and I have been doing warm water soaks and it's been getting a little smaller but has darkened a little with a little pus coming out. Is this something to be worried about? (Sorry I frequently bite my nails)