Your fingernails actually do serve a purpose. Fingernails help protect your fingertips and make it easier to grasp certain objects such as a loose piece of thread; they also come in handy when you have an itch that needs scratching. However, bacteria, dirt and germs live under your fingernails. Every time you put your nails into your mouth, you're spreading those germs right into your bloodstream. If that's not reason enough to stop biting your nails, think about the tears in your skin around your nails that occur from biting them. Those tiny tears can open up and increase the risk of a bacterial or fungal infection. The habit of biting and picking at your nails is one that needs to be broken.
Step 1
Ask a friend or family member to let you know if they notice you biting or picking your nails. Since biting or picking your nails has became a habit for you, you may not notice when you're doing it. Friends can help make you aware of what you're doing before you bite off the entire fingernail down to the skin.
Step 2
File your fingernails so that they have a nice shape to them. You may not bite your nails if they are neatly filed and look nice. If you have long fingernails, you may need nail clippers to help trim them down before you file them. File your nails so that they are smooth; a round shape is ideal so that your fingernails don't snag clothing. When you file your nails in a square shape, the edges of your nails may snag clothing or break more easily which may tempt you to bite them off or pick at them.
Step 3
Apply a bitter-tasting nail polish to your fingernails. Certain manufacturers make bitter-tasting nail polish to help break the bad habit of biting your nails. If you can't find a fingernail polish specifically labeled to help you stop biting your nails, experiment with different brands and see which one tastes the most bitter to you.
Things You'll Need
- Nail file
- Nail clippers
- Fingernail polish
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