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Nail Care and Nail Biting Advice

By: Simon Merkel

Nail-biting is the most common of the typical "nervous habits," which include thumb-sucking, nose-picking, hair-twisting or -pulling, tooth-grinding, and picking at skin. Nail biting is the habit of biting one's fingernails or toenails during periods of nervousness, stress, hunger, or boredom. It is usually not a serious problem for children. It becomes most common in adolescence when almost half of all children bite their nails to some degree. Nail biting may result in the transportation of bacteria that are buried under the surface of the nail that are hard to clean and easy to get in the mouth. Nail-biting includes biting the cuticle and soft tissue surrounding the nail as well as biting the nail itself. About 50% of children between the ages of 10 and 18 bite their nails at one time or another.

Nail-biting may occur with other body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRB) such as hair-pulling or skin-picking. Some patients have found behavioral therapy to be beneficial on its own. If your child is under a lot of stress, try to reduce the stress. Stimulus control therapy is used to both identify and then eliminate the stimulus that frequently triggers biting urges. Cutting long nails helps some children. Nails can also be smoothed so that they do not bother your child. Another method is to get regular manicures, as having neat, polished nails will keep some people (particularly women) from biting them. Wear gloves, adhesive bandages, or colored stickers whenever possible to remind you not to bite your nails.Taking care of your nails can help reduce your nail-biting habit and encourage you to keep your nails attractive.

Beautiful, natural nails require care and proper manicuring. Manicuring is the care of the hands and nails. Basic manicuring should be done once a week. Buffing nails can give them a shinier finish. Start at the cuticle and work your way down to the tip with medium pressure. Don't use a back and forth movement as heat builds up and this can damage your nails. Some basic nail care is Wash hands with mild soap, using a nailbrush. Soak the hands in warm water for a few minutes to soften the cuticles (the bits of skin at the bottom of the nails). Very gently push back the cuticles if they are long and ragged. Trim the nails to the same length, cutting off any snaggy or spiky bits. File the ends of the nails to smooth them off.

Nail Care Tips

1. Wear Gloves while washing dishes or working in detergent-based liquids.

2. Avoid harsh metal files.

3. Use a quality hand and nail lotion to protect and moisturize. Dry nails tend to crack and split.

4. Avoid clipping your nails. Instead, file them at a 45 degree angle.

5. The best time to file nails is immediately after a bath. Nails are much softer then.

6. Never file feed into the corners of your fingers. Do it from corner to the centre.

7. Always allow your polish to dry thoroughly for several minutes before you apply the next coat.

Nail-biting is the most common of the typical "nervous habits," which include thumb-sucking, nose-picking, hair-twisting or -pulling, tooth-grinding, and picking at skin. Nail biting is the habit of biting one's fingernails or toenails during periods of nervousness, stress, hunger, or boredom. It is usually not a serious problem for children.

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