Do you bite your nails? Stop with these 8 methods right away

It is called onychophagy and represents one of the most common and widespread vices: nail biting. This is a harmful habit not only because it could cause infections, bacterial diseases and even damage to the teeth and gums, but also because it could ruin your hands forever.

Nail biting often results from insecurity, anxiety, depression, or even boredom. You can stop, indeed you must! Like? Follow our advice and you will see that in a short time you will be able to give up this habit.

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1. Put some patches on your nails

Making sure that the gauze rests on the nail. Replace them after every shower or after a couple of days. You can take them off for special occasions or decide to keep them: this way you will feel silly and even more motivated to stop biting your nails .

2. Keep your hands and mouth busy

Find yourself another habit. When you feel the need to bite your nails, focus on another activity. Some people like to tap their fingers, twist their thumbs, fiddle with a rubber band. Just make sure you don't get into another bad habit, choose something useful or not very important.

3. Use bitter nail polish

Apply bitter polish on your nails to discourage you from eating them. Bitrex is a chemical substance that is inserted in products to give a bitter and disgusting taste, you can request it at the pharmacy.

4. Be aware

The key word of this method is awareness. It is the ability to recognize when the urge to compulsion arrives and divert it to a pleasant surrogate such as a candy, a phone call to a friend or a crossword puzzle.

5. Make them "hot"

Dip your nails for a long time in a spicy sauce, such as chili pepper or Tabasco, so that the flavor of the seasonings remains on them for a long time, even after rinsing them. Obviously then be careful not to bring your hands to your eyes as you could irritate them.

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6. Use Tea Tree Oil

An alternative to hot sauce is Tea Tree essential oil which tastes very unpleasant and should never be ingested unless under strict medical supervision. Apply it on your nails from time to time, preferably diluted in vegetable oil. Its rather annoying smell will prevent you from nibbling them.

7. Keep a journal

Where to write whenever you feel the urge to bite your nails. It will become not only a distraction from the impulse, but also a map of the triggers, to understand how you felt when you were about to give up, what you were doing and what negative consequences your gesture has entailed. You will thus trace the trend of your habit and you can give yourself step-by-step goals to quit.

8.Celebrate your successes

Don't be afraid to show off your nails with friends and colleagues. Show her and proudly say: "Would you believe I had a habit of biting my nails?". Take pictures of the hands and enjoy their new look, you could also share them on Instagram or Pinterest to show everyone the before and after and support others who, like you, are breaking out of this habit. The union, often, is strength and you will be even more motivated.


See also:
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