The Most Effective Way to Stop Biting Your Nails: Tested and Trusted


Before I discovered by this single most effective way to stop nail biting, I was notorious for eating my nails to their stump. They dared not grow an inch higher, I would attack the sprouts so quickly. 

I was caught up with this attitude for a very long time until I discovered this. I never really knew what long nails looked like until I stopped nail biting.

A small proportion of children acquire the habit of biting their nails when they are of school age which may persist longer or stop abruptly. In either case, the measures taken by the guardian or the individual themselves grossly determine whether or not the habit progresses. One effective measure that helps to discontinue the habit is what I am about to reveal now. But first, what causes nail biting?

 What Causes The Development of The Attitude?

We know that newborns and infants reflexly suck their fingers when there is nothing else in their mouth. The reflex usually begins at birth and persist up till about 2 - 3 months of age, at which age they voluntarily suck objects.
Whether voluntary or involuntary, sucking is considered normal at such tender ages. But it becomes a point of concern when the child continues the habit at a higher age or adulthood.
It may then progress into nail-biting if it persists. The reason for the persistence of the attitude is not well understood, but may be due to some emotional or psychological attachment to hand sucking at very early ages. It may also be explained as the need for the child to get rid of a perceived discomfort caused by nails.
However, none of these explanations has been verified as the actual cause(s) of nail-biting.

Why Nail Biting Should Be Stopped

As harmless as the habit may seem, it is often accompanied by several unfavourable effects and carries with it a great risk of acquiring infections. There is the loss of aesthetics(beauty) of the nails, risk of acquiring certain parasitic and bacterial infections, the effect on social status and personality, etc

Loss of Aesthetic Value(Beauty)

For those of you that have not seen how a grossly-bitten nail looks, I would try to describe it as an unsightly, dwarf-looking nail on an oversized nail bed with dark margins that cannot be thoroughly washed. But I doubt if there is anyone who has not seen it on display either on your own fingers(if you are a nail biter) or on others. And with the way ladies admire fingers, I would expect no lady to have such bitten fingers. Is there a way out of this? You will soon find out.

Risk of Acquiring Infections

Another predisposition posed by this habit is the risk of acquiring infections especially those of the feco-oral route.
Regular handwashing has been recommended by the World Health Organisation to prevent transmission of certain infections. This is necessary because the hand is readily plugged into the mouth so far as there is something chewable in it.

Similarly, in nail-biting when the individual consciously or unconsciously puts his/her hand into the mouth and start biting a finger, the risk is further increased by up another 30 - 35%. This makes nail biting an attitude that must be discontinued.

Lowered Public Personality

Just imagine, a well respected and popular personality you have heard so much about, someone you respect and is also well-learned, sitting on the high table. Then the next thing you noticed is that he/she is busy battling with removing some stubborn strands of nails from their fingers. I'm certain your generally assessment of his personality will drop by some degrees. That's how bad the outcomes can be.

What Triggers It

Even in people with the attitude, there exist some conditions that can trigger the nail biting activity. These include:
  • Stressful conditions like exams, hard tests, etc
  • Quiet conditions filled with high mental activity, e. g, when you are reading a book, making a piece of art. 
  • Hunger may be included as a trigger.
  • It could also arise spontaneously, that is without any underlying situation as above.


Methods of Stopping Nail Biting

The use of cultural methods like you would have heard of or seen may only be of help temporarily or they may cause unnecessary discomfort to the individual. Some of these methods include the use of force or threats on the young child in order to scare him from nail biting. This is the case in young children.
Another involves the application of bitter solutions, peppery-hot substances and herbs that are non-toxic on the fingers to discourage the child from inserting fingers in the mouth. The major problem with this method is that the child finds a way to wash those things off his/her fingers and continue his finger meal.

The Simple Most Effective Method

From experience, I discovered that nails with irregular and tattered edges encourages nail biting in people with the habit. Keeping your nail edges straight without any fibrous strands attached help to reduce and eventually stop the habit.
To keep your fingers straight and levelled, you need a 'nail clipper', also called 'nail cutter' .
A nail clipper is an equipment that is used to neatly cut the nails. This could be very effective for adults and older children who are capable of operating the instrument by themselves. However, in younger children and infants with the habit, a parent of guardian could neatly cut the nails regularly.

This is a tested and trusted method of stopping nail biting. It is highly effective 

Prosper Yole


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