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Nail biting due to stress, nerves, or routine: for many people, it’s an annoying habit they want to get rid of. A dermatologist explains how to tackle it.
Nail biting is generally harmless, says Jorrit Terra, a dermatologist at the Isala Dermatologisch centrum. Unless you bite your nails so much that it damages the skin around your nail and cuticle. In that case, you may suffer from an infection or even fungus.
“Cracks in your nail, cuticle, or the skin around it expose your skin,” Terra explains. “And you do a lot with your hands. Just think about everything you pick up, grab, and how you use your hands during your work. But also during a day off: maybe you’re going to work in the garden or wash your car.”
If you start digging in the dirt with damaged fingertips, you may come into contact with certain fungi in the soil, says the dermatologist.
He sees the number of nail biters increasing. “European studies show that one in four people bite their nails at some point. And among young people between 21 and 25, a doubling is visible.”
People mainly bite their nails because of stress, nervousness, or tension. “But there are also nail biters who do it out of habit; when they read a book or watch TV on the couch after a long day of work. After all, you’re so used to having your phone in your hands.”
It is important to find out the cause
If you want to stop nail biting, it’s important to find out the cause of the biting. For example, if you are stressed or nervous because you are busy at work, it can help to take away that feeling of unrest (although that may be easier said than done). “We see that if these people are placed in relaxed situations, they bite their nails less,” says Terra.
Adjusting learned behavior is more difficult, says the dermatologist. “It can help to learn yourself a different habit. For example, grab a pen as a distraction. Or a stress ball to squeeze. Then you can immediately tackle any stress.”
Short nails cannot be bitten
You can also apply remedies that claim to work against nail biting on your nails. Terra says he is not against that, because they can help change your behavior. “With a bitter remedy on your nails, your brain is activated to think: that’s disgusting.”
Good nail care is also important, says the dermatologist. “File your nails instead of cutting them. This prevents hooks or unfinished corners that you can then pull on again. And very simply: if you cut your nails very short, there is less nail left to bite off.”