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Confession time – I bite my nails. It’s been a habit since I was a kid. One I would love to kick, but have struggled on and off with for my whole life. I know I’m not the only one, though. If you struggle with nail biting and are looking for a solution, perhaps these suggestions can help.
I’ve tried many different solutions over the years. Some have been a temporary fix, while others lasted longer. Every person will be different, though, so try them all until you find one that sticks.
Jamberry Nails
I’d heard of Jamberry and thought they sounded fun and trendy. I was really worried that I’d just bite them off though. So my friend Jenn and I got together at a frozen yogurt place, and she showed me how they worked. I told her my concern about the nail biting problem I have. She then told me she use to bite her nails as well, but the Jamberry shields have helped her stop.
I was still skeptical, but I was desperate to try anything before my kids took up the habit out of sheer example.
What was the difference? Jamberry nail shields are not something you paint on. They remind me a lot of vinyl wall stickers, but for your fingers, and with better sticking power. I’d say Jamberry Nails are a long term solution IF you continue to wear them daily.
Bad Taste
Another common solution for nail biters is to paint them with something that tastes bad. There are many products out there that do this, like Thum
. For me, it has never helped. My nail biting habit is so ingrained, and so much a part of me, that the bad taste is overlooked. I do think these products will help little kids who are just starting to bite. Even just painting the nails with fingernail polish could be enough of a turn off in the early years.
Wear Gloves
If you wore gloves every day for the rest of your life you would never be able to bite your nails again. That’s not terribly practical of course, but it would work. Instead, if you keep some gloves on hand and find yourself biting your nails, try slipping those precious fingers into a stylish glove to curb the urge. I find I bite when I’m bored, so places like the car are optimal to keep a pair of gloves. Sitting in traffic or carpool…just slip the gloves on.
Manicures
I find if my nails are done professionally than I am less likely to gnaw them off. Having pretty fingers is a visual motivator for me. Unfortunately, it’s also an expensive one that I am not willing to pay for as frequently as I would need them done to keep from biting. If it fits your budget and motivates you to stop biting, definitely give it a try. Every girl deserves a manicure at least periodically right?
Find Your Triggers
The biggest key to stopping any bad habit is to figure out what is triggering them. Mine I’ve concluded come from different things. If I’m extremely stressed or anxious about something, I will start biting. There are periods of about a full year where I’ve left my fingers alone. All it takes is one stressful event to bring the habit back to full swing.
Once I start biting again, it becomes extremely difficult to stop again. The big stress may have started the biting, but it’s the daily annoyances, anxieties, and even boredom that keep the habit going. This is a hard one for me to change because these events are often out of my control. Instead, I need to find a way to cope better. It starts with being concious of the nail biting.
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