Advise for My Nail Biter

Try Malva Stop (you can get it on Amazon for about $15, which includes shipping). It tastes terrible, and is hard to wash off - you just apply it every couple days. If she only bites her nails, it should work great. If she bites her skin/cuticles/knuckle skinn (as my son does), it may not be as effective.

my daughter has this problem too. the only thing that helped her was to has fake nails . after as few times of haaving fake nails it helped her not to do it as much. good luck S.

They have the nail bitter finger polish at Long's Drugs or you can always brush tabasco on them. I had a similar problem when I was little and I felt the same way. Looking back I probably could have stopped if I would have received help in directing my nervous energy somewhere else. I'm a mom too and I know things are easier said than done but I have experience both ways. Good luck.

I was first a tumb sucker, but when my hands were hit for that, I began chewing my fingernails. I chewed them off and on until I was 60-years-old, and then, for some reason (perhaps a certain amount of peace in my life), I quit. The times when I bit my fingernails the worst were when I was pushed to not bite them. That caused me tremendous anxiety. I'll never forget when my mother's best friend said to me, "You have beautiful hands." My mother said, "She would, if she'd quit biting her fingernails." Her friend said, "Whether she bites her fingernails or not, she still has beautiful hands!" I was 11, and that was 57 years ago. I've never forgotten that kindess. So, my advice is to love your daughter just the way she is, and let her come to her own with regard to her own body. She will, and she'll do it all the faster with your loving support! Best wishes...

Hi there, I bit my nails all the way up until about 6 months ago (I am 28). What finally worked for me was hearing this from The View which was mentioned by Whoopi Goldberg-
She said ask your daughter if she washes her hands after every time going to the bathroom. When she says yes, ask her if she uses a nail brush to clean under her nails EVERY time she uses the bathroom. Imagine how many times you use the toilet and how many times you flush it. Imagine all the dirty things that you've been touching during the day...Imagine how every time you bite your nails, all these germs and bacteria are now in your mouth!
Pretty gross, but it stopped me cold turkey! Nothing but nailclippers since I heard that one. Hope that helps!

Hello,
I myself was a nail biter and then my daughter now 16 started biting her nails at a young age so I then fought myself to break this awful habit! I used fake nails for myself to stop and help break this habit which worked for me. She would bite her nails so badly down to the skin at times, I remember at one point we had to put her on antibiotics to clear up a nail fungus infection due to continuous nail biting! It was awfull...Finally after using over the counter nail polishes that tasted awful (which did not work for us) I tried using HOT sauce (Tabasco) etc. This seemed to help, at first I would dip her fingertips in the lid but she would still start to bite her nails again, So I experimented with all the different kinds of Hot sauces and Would use it as a nail polish until I saw that she finally stopped biting, It was a long long process but she finally stopped biting her nails to this day and I would remind her of the hot sauce if I seen any signs of nail biting. I also made sure her nails were manicured regularly so the temptation wasn't there!
Maybe something that she does not like the taste of that will not harm her but she really dislikes might help!
Hope this helps.
A.

I feel your pain, my son was a nail biter too....I tried Control-It, I found it on the internet and it was about $20.00 for 3 small jars...it works great. I googled nail biting to find it.
Good Luck

Our 8 y/o used to bite her nails when she's nervous or bored, so we started buying xylitol sugar free gum. It helps prevent cavities and ear infections and has been used in Europe for over 30 yrs. It's basically fruit sugar. Safe for those with diabetes as well. We give her a bottle of gum and whenever she feels like chewing, she'll pop one in her mouth. Most of the time, we find xylitol gum at a Korean market b/c most of the American brands at the supermarket has the ingredient, aspartame, which can cause strokes. You can buy it at the big Korean Supermarket in Daly City, Kukje. In any case, the gum chewing really helped and she no longer bites her nails. You can also find xylitol gum/candy online. We also buy gum and sparx candy at www.luckyvitamin.com, since shipping is $6 (flat rate). Hope this helps your daughter! Good luck!

I am a nail biter. I can't remember when it started (I think somewhere around 10-12) but I do believe it was my way of dealing with stress, anxiety, peer pressure, and boredom. When I was 17 I started going to a nail salon and having acrylic put on my nails. That's stopped me biting my nails about 98%. Part of it is actually having nice nails and nice looking hands and part of it is having to spend the money to get it done. But the acrylic makes my nails thicker. If one comes off then my real nails are back to nothing again.
Talk to your daughter and see if you can find out why she's doing it and see if you can find a replacement behavior that would be better for her.

I know this sounds over the top, but at 11 yrs. she is old enough to take pride in her appearance. I would take her to a salon and have the operator put some normal, nice looking fake nails on her hands so she can see how lovely her hands could look. It would only take one application and she would be so proud of her hands, it might do the trick.

I bit my nails for over 17 years. Nothing made me stop. No special polish, no yucky tasting stuff. It does't work. What finally did work, was getting manicures, or fake nails. Once you notice your hands looking pretty you don't want to bite them anymore. Biting nails is, at times not a conscience thing. You don't even realize it. But, after time your nails get so weak, and they don't grow long. Thats how mine are, they will grow a bit but break easily.

Hi,
The stuff is called "No Bite" (imagine!). I think I have seen it at Longs and also at some beauty supply stores. Good luck with that!
J.

The bitter nail polish did not work for me when I was that age (I am now in my thirties). I basically got used to the taste and bite my nails anyways. My mother tried everythings and really nothing work for more than a few weeks. As I got older and wanted my hands to look nicer, vanity took over and i stopped biting my nails so much. However I still do have some relapses...

I bit my nails for a long time too and the only thing that kept me from doing it was cleaning my nails & finger tips with polish remover every morning. That stuff tastes so gross and you can't just wash it off. My daughter is 5 and started biting her nails and I simply told her that I wouldn't polish her nails anymore if she bit them. THat was pretty important to her, so she stopped. That probably won't work with a more strong-willed child or with one whose nail biting has become such a habit. Maybe taking her to the local beauty school for a manicure would help... show her how pretty her nails can be (I say beauty school because it's usually less expensive than a salon).
Good luck!

They do have it in drug stores it doesn't work to well. My daughter is now twenty, we were told the biting is because of tight nail beds. The pediatrician said (many, many years ago) after every shower or bath use a cuticle pusher and push the cuticles back. It worked. It's been about seven years now. Good Luck!

Hi T.,

I sucked my thumb through elementary school and then became a nailbiter so I can empathize. Try a beauty supply store or search the Internet for products (stopbitingnails.com). I believe I used a Sally Hansen product. I would also recommend a hobby that uses her hands or just keeps her busy so that she doesn't have time to nibble. And maybe a fun pair of gloves (avail in cosmetic section of Target etc for moisturizing hands)to wear when she's watching TV, doing homework, etc. and is not really conscious of her nailbiting. If she has a desire to stop biting, hopefully she will be up for trying a few different things.

Good luck! T.

Hi
My husband was a nail biter all his life. When our son was about 13 mo. old he started biting his nails - imitating my husband. I told my husband that he was teaching our son a "yucky" habit. He realized we had to stop it soon, so my husband decided he would quit. He bought the bad tasting polish at Walgreens (just ask at the cosmetic counter they'll help you find it). It worked for both of them. Their hands and nails have been gorgeous for 3 years. The habit is gone! If it worked for my husband, it will work for anyone!
M.

www.mycmsite.com/margaretnenadov

T.,
The only thing I have ever seen work is an easy to absorb calcium. Liquid would be best with magnesium. Nail biting is a symptom of not getting enough, it shows up on the nervous system. She may be getting enough but not absorbing enough. It works, go to a Co-op or Health Food Store, they can reccommend something. Good Luck S.

Walmart has it, it is kinda hard to spot but it is in the nail care aisle next to the Sally Hansen items. It worked for my son and I. B.

I was a terrible nail biter when I was that age! What finally got me to stop was peer pressure. I had a friend in my class whom I admired who always had nice, manicured nails. One day she made a comment about my "bitten, un-manicured nails" and that was that, I never bit them again! I think your daughter will stop on her own at some point soon.

She's stressed out. Find out what it is, remove the cause. She might be scared, upset, angry, worried. Talk to her, find out what's going on for her.

I too was a nail biter. I quit sometime during my teens, but transferred the nervous habbit to cuticle picking. It is totally stress related. The more stressed I feel the worse it gets. For me, having others focus on it makes it worse. Getting manicures makes it better.

Sorry to say, but I am a 32 year old nail biter. I have tried everything and even stoped while pregnant, but as soon as the bitter nail stuff comes off or whatever I find myself doing it again. Wish you luck!

Hi! I bit my nails very badly until about the age of 12 or 13. I tried to stop but just couldn't. There was a product then called "Nail Biter", which was HORRIBLY bitter. It really did help, but didn't really cure the problem. I have had good luck with Orly products, and they make something like that. You can find it here: http://orlybeauty.com/treatment.php?c=1&gclid=CKaq7db...

Also, I know this probably sounds crazy, but I used to glue nail tips on. Even though I always had them in my mouth anyway, I think it might have helped. I don't generally advocate acrylic or gel tips, but a nice manicure (not necessarily tips) with a gel overlay (to thicken & harden the nails) will make them look nice and maybe she won't want to crack them by biting. An overlay will also help nail polish to stick, and I did that for a long time just to make my nails thicker and prettier. If they look nice, maybe that will help too. :) That said, if you do take her to a salon, go to someone reputable and pay real $ for it. You don't want to take any chances with her health. Ask them their cleaning procedure and insist on clean tools and that single-use disposable emery boards and things - be new and NOT used ones. If they don't have a good answer for you on the sanitation, don't feel rude just simply walking out. If you want to do it at home, get some Orly Bonder. http://www.orlybeauty.com/treatment.php?c=57 This stuff is AWESOME, rubbery basecoat that will help nail polish to stick much, much longer, even with play, water, and everything. It's just easier not to bite your nails when they look nice. :)

Give her a good verbal "tour" of all the thing she touches each day and explain that all that dirt & bacteria is on her fingers too. Maybe it'll gross her out of it! lol.

I still chew on my nails, but I don't break them with my teeth except by accident. I always carry an emery board with me (on my keychain, in my purse and in my car) so that when I get a little snag or uneven place I can file it smooth. When your nails are smooth, there's less to mess with & chew on. My nails are long and pretty now, but they are still thin, so keeping them filed and smooth really helps the biting. Over time, my nail beds have also gotten longer, so my nails look longer even when they are short. It takes a long time, but they will start looking good.

It's a very difficult habit to stop, but if she really wants to stop, please let her know that she CAN DO IT!

I hope this helps!!
S.

How about "chili oil" ? Someone told me about this...never tried so not sure it will work?? I'm sure that you will get plenty of other idea's on this site...Good Luck

I found some at my pharmacy. You have to ask them for it since they keep it behind the counter. You have to be very consistent tho with putting it on. It kinda smells like nail polish remover to me. My daughter definitly didn't like the taste of it. Hope this helps.

I have seen the nail bitter stuff in the baby isle of some drug stores, like Rite Aid. If that doesn't work, I know 11 is young for this but you might want to take her to get her nails done and have some tips put on, of course have them cut very short and made to look natural, but it will keep her from bitting her own nails. Good luck!

Hi T.,
Have you tried rewarding her? If she does not bite for 2 weeks then take her to go get her nails and toes done at the nail shop. You could make a special day out of it. Have them paint flowers on each nail and even add rhinestones. She wont want to ruin them hopefully!
I guess if that doesn't work you could try to tell her what is under her nails and on her hands. My mom told me that in the dirt under your nails were tons of tiny bugs and small worms that could grow in your intestines! I was so freaked out! Yuck!
Good luck to you.
K.