How To Stop Biting Nails: 8 Expert Tips To Keep Your Tips Looking Polished

If you're a nail-biter, don't fret. You're not alone. According to one study, 20 to 30% of the population bites their nails1, which means that it's actually a common habit among adults and kids. That's a lot of people left wondering: How do I stop biting my nails?

And even though it's not exactly a harmful habit, if done in excess it can be risky and come with consequences like skin infections or transmission of virus and flu.

Even if you're not one to bite your nails, chances are you probably know someone who does. According to child, adolescent, and adult psychologist Gauri Khurana, M.D., MPH, nail-biting is a self-soothing behavior, just like hair pulling and skin picking.

"These body parts are easy to access, and results are generally not easily visible to others," she says. "The most common reason why people bite their nails is to self-soothe when they are hungry, bored, frustrated or working on difficult tasks."

Essentially, nail-biting is one of those unwanted habits that we don't even know we are doing most of the time. 

The jury is still out on this one. A little nibble here or there isn't harmful, but if you're gnawing away until your nails are itty-bitty nubs, infections are definitely possible.

"Chronic nail-biting, also called onychophagia, can damage the skin around the nails and the nails themselves," says board-certified dermatologist Tiffany Jow Libby, M.D. "It can also increase your risk of bacterial nail infections, which can be red, painful, swollen and often require antibiotics to treat."

Sounds elementary, but when you're trying to break a habit, the first step is to identify the cause.

If you can pinpoint what causes you to bite your tips, you can aim to put yourself in different situations that help you to avoid the habit. Avoiding these triggers, or finding a way to manage them, can help you keep nail-biting to a minimum, Libby says. 

If your picking habit is a conscious behavior that happens when you experience intense negative emotions, "try to understand that something is affecting you in the moment that needs to be released," says Michaela Chatzimanoli, a clinical psychologist at SkinPick.com.

It's nearly impossible to bite your nails if your hands are at work.

Khurana suggests adopting another comforting behavior that uses your hands. "This can include reading, knitting, crafts, or petting an animal, or a variety of household tasks."

While this isn't possible in every situation, sporting gloves makes nail-biting, well, impossible.

Khurana says even if you can't wear them all day long, wearing them during stressful situations or even boring circumstances can help reduce nail-biting tendencies. 

At the very least, try and create a physical barrier—like wearing a bandage over the cuticles you tend to pick.

"If you keep your nails short, you'll have less nail to bite, and it can be less tempting," Libby says.

To make things easier for you, make a routine of clipping or grooming your nails regularly to avoid temptation. 

Both Libby and Khurana agree that applying a bitter-tasting nail polish can also be a deterrent.

If biting your nails is more of a mouth movement that you desire, keep your mouth busy.

Khurana suggests trying a mouth guard or retainer to make it more difficult to bite down.

If you've experienced an infection in your skin or nails from biting, Libby suggests contacting your local dermatologist for an evaluation. Your dermatologist can help guide you in a direction to not only treat the infection but can also help to give suggestions on how to eliminate biting altogether. 

"If someone is maiming themselves, scarring themselves, having multiple bouts of infections, and still can't stop picking, then that's a problem. There's a positive feedback loop in your brain that has to be broken," says Wechsler.

In these cases, a more significant intervention may be needed, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). In broad terms, CBT involves working with a practitioner to identify the thoughts you're having while picking or engaging in any unwanted behavior and replacing them with healthier thoughts.

"But it only works if you're motivated," says Wechsler.

Regular manicures can offer you incentives not to nibble away.

If salon visits aren't an option, you can get a salon-grade experience at home, and it's actually much easier than you might think.

Keep dry hands hydrated with a supple hand cream. When your skin is moisturized, the hands simply look better.

"It's essential to moisturize as often as possible to restore those lipids and encourage the regrowth of healthy bacteria, or your microbiome," board-certified dermatologist Whitney Bowe, M.D., says.

It's especially important after washing your hands or taking a shower: A good cream can seal in that lingering water, restore your skin's lipids, and prevent transepidermal water loss2. 

That said, grab a butter-thick occlusive and slather it on whenever your paws need a hit of moisture. 

And for those wondering: Yes, you can find a dense cream that doesn't make your hands too greasy. A mix of hydrators and rich butters (think aloe vera paired with shea butter) can keep a cream fast-absorbing while locking in moisture.

Bonus points if your cream contains soothing ingredients known for their anti-inflammatory properties (oat comes to mind), as dry, cracked hands can quickly feel uncomfortable and itchy.

If you accidentally start biting midday—it happens!—just file any jagged tips away to keep hands looking fresh.