Growing up, the nail salon was the most relaxing place ever, but it was also my worst nightmare. Although I loved treating myself to some new polish, it was inevitable that wherever I went, I would get a stern lecture from the nail technician about the condition of my nails. There was nothing that necessarily triggered my chronic nail biting habit, but by the time I reached my senior year of high school, my nails had become embarrassingly maimed, and I couldn’t keep my hands out of my mouth. After multiple failed attempts at quitting the habit over the years, I chose to stop once and for all in the month leading up to my graduation. I haven’t looked back since.
If you’re considering kicking your nail biting habit too, here are a few things you should know:
1. You Will Literally be Healthier for Quitting
Let’s be honest, hands are dirty, and putting them in your mouth multiple times a day is just a way to give bacteria free reign of the inside of your body. Not only that, but my nail biting habit had gotten so bad that I often had open wounds on at least one of my fingers, which opens up another portal for pathogens, not to mention it’s incredibly painful.
2. You Don’t Have to Quit Cold Turkey
One of the popular methods for abandoning a nail biting habit is to stop one nail at a time. This can be good if you’re worried about not being able to cease biting all at once. Start with your pinkies— you can bite all of your other nails, but let your pinky nails grow out. Then, add your ring fingers and only bite your middle fingers, pointer fingers, and thumbs. Keep going until you’ve ceased with all nails.
3. But, Quitting Cold Turkey Might be Your Best Option
I modeled my termination strategy after the way that my grandma quit smoking— I quit cold turkey. Was it challenging? Incredibly. But, I knew that if I gave myself any leeway, I would fall back into my old habits. To ease the struggle, I chose to take the more expensive route by getting shellac manicures for a couple of months. Having nails that looked well kept and mature made me feel more put together, which kept me motivated.
4. Your Nails May Never Look The Same as a Non-Nailbiter
Unfortunately, even now, my nails are still not as strong as someone who never bit their nails. I also don’t have any cuticles and my fingers are a bit misshapen from all of the years of abuse. That being said, my nails still look one hundred times better than they did before, and the only people that can tell I was a nail biter on first glance are nail technicians.
5. Figuring Out How to Do Your Nails is Weird
I spent sixteen years of my life not needing to use nail polish or a nail file or even nail clippers. That’s made for a lot of nail mishaps for me because I literally never learned how to properly do my nails. I also have no idea how long I’m supposed to keep my nails, and I definitely have no skill when it comes to nail polish. My nail file has become my best friend though because it keeps my nails smooth and shaped.
6. You Will Relapse, and That’s Okay
I’ll be honest, even as I’ve been writing this article, I’ve stopped at least once to pick my nails and the skin around them. My nail biting habit was very much tied to my stress levels, so when I’m stressed now, it’s very tempting to pick and chew my nails, but it’s something that I try to resist. Keeping my nails well filed helps, but it’s not the perfect solution. Even though you may still struggle with picking at or biting your nails, it’s okay. It’s important to remember that your nails may not look as perfect as you’d like, but they still look better than they did.
Ultimately, biting my nails has been a tough habit to break, but I’m continually getting better at managing it, and I’m happier and healthier now that I’ve stopped.
Image Sources: Webmd, Giphy.com