Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — Nail biting generally begins in childhood and can continue into adulthood, and its side effects may be more than superficial. Frequent nail biting causes pain in the skin surrounding the nails, and tissue damage that affects nail growth, which leads to abnormal growth. In addition, the habit of chronic nail biting exposes you to infection, as it transmits harmful bacteria and viruses from your mouth to your fingers, and from your nails to your face and mouth.
Here are some tips, from the American Academy of Dermatologists Association, to help stop this habit:
1. Keep your nails trimmed regularly
Short nails reduce your chances of wanting to bite
2. Apply a bitter nail polish to your nails
Available without a prescription, its formula is considered safe and its bad taste may discourage many people from biting their nails.
3. Cover your nails with duct tape or stickers or wear gloves
When you use a nail blocker, this will reduce the chances of biting
4. Replace nail biting with a good habit
When you feel like biting your nails, try playing with a stress ball or other device to distract yourself. This will help keep your hands busy and away from your mouth.
5. Identify your triggers
These can be physical triggers, such as hanging nails, or other triggers, such as boredom, stress, or anxiety. By knowing why you bite your nails, you can learn how to avoid these situations and make a plan to stop. Just knowing when you tend to nibble may help the problem.
6. Take a gradual approach to breaking the habit
Try to stop biting one set of nails, such as your thumbs, first. When this works, get rid of pinky nails, pointer nails, or even the entire hand. The goal is to get to the point where you no longer bite any of your nails