Fingernail biting is a very bad habit, and one which is very hard to stop.

There are many reasons why someone may bite their nails, yet the most common is because of nervousness.

Other nervous habits which can affect a person besides nail biting and hopefully not all of them at once, is hair twisting and pulling, nose picking, skin picking, teeth grinding and thumb sucking. And yes, most of these habits can and do go right through to adult hood. Hopefully, not the thumb sucking!

It not only looks unattractive, it is not good for you fingernails health or your own health in general. This is because your nails are made up of a protein called keratin, which is also found in your skin and hair.

The problem with keratin is, when you are biting on your nails, you are ingesting it and your body can’t digest the keratin.

It takes will power, and finding something that works for you in helping you stop.

If you started biting nails when you were a child and are still at it, there is hope you can give up.

If you have children, you may notice one of them is also biting finger nails, and has picked up the habit from watching you. If this has happened, then it is a good idea to set an example and find a way to stop.

Some people outgrow their nail biting problem as I did. When I was a teenager I bit my nails all through secondary school years, and stopped once I left. I put it down to nervousness as I was a very nervous teenager. Although, I did replace nail biting with teeth grinding in my adult years!

Now, if you were ever a smoker and gave up, perhaps an alcoholic and quite the habit, then there is a great chance you can give up biting fingernails.

If you were in neither of the above two situations, don’t give up hope. You can do this…..

First, think about why you may have a fingernail biting habit, as there are many reasons to consider.

Maybe you are nail biting out of boredom, it can actually be a lot of fun finger nail biting, and you may get a kind of thrill out of it, making it very hard for you to give up.

Perhaps you are hungry, or have an obsessive compulsive disorder. In this case, you may not even be aware you are biting your fingernails. Obsessive compulsive disorder usually requires medication.

Are you constantly stressed? Find it hard to relax? Feel no joy in your life? Then nail biting goes hand in hand with these sorts of feelings.

Do you often find yourself deep in thought, this can automatically bring the nails to your mouth, or you could have an oral fixation. An oral fixation is someone who is constantly putting something in their mouth, such as chewing on a pen or pencil, or the obvious, nail biting.

You may find yourself biting your nails when you are watching TV, reading or talking on the phone.

Feeling excited can bring the nails to the mouth.

Not only do your fingernails look terrible, you leave yourself open to infections, and disrupt the normal growth rate of the nail.

How to Stop Biting Fingernails

Medication if your nail biting is caused from depression.

Hypnosis is very effective for helping stop this habit.

Start getting manicures, if you feel embarrassed to go to a salon with your chewed down fingernails, learn to do it yourself at home first.

Behavioral therapy is another popular remedy.

Use aloe vera gel on your fingernails, even better if you have one growing outside in the backyard. Just cut a little piece off each day and rub into your nails.

Try some of the nail products on the market for this type of problem.

Some people have had success and other have not, but it is worth trying, you maybe one of the successful ones.

Beautiful healthy fingernails can be yours if you truly want them.