Can Biting Nails Hurt Your Nails?

A Taste of the Future According to the Experts: Stop Biting Your Nails ASAP

If you’ve ever suffered from a new nail growth spurt that was so painful you could practically feel it, you know it’s time to scale back on the nail polish altogether.

According to manicurist and creative director Dr. Linnea Beink, who practices at manicure shop Alegre Sandals in Seattle, regular nail biting can slow down the growth of nail tissue, which will affect nail growth and continue to be painful in the future. “Neck aches, discoloration, splitting, and athlete’s foot can all result from the nail biting lifestyle,” Dr. Beink says.

We reached out to experts from New York’s prestigious Dr. Seuss Institute for their tips and advice on how to deal with this growing issue. “The vibrations we are experiencing from our nails are affecting the bone and ligaments that hold the nail in place,” Dr. Rebecca Madigan-Regalts, a clinical psychologist, reveals. “Pain at the base of the nail is the hallmark sign that something is amiss.”

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How to Unwrap the Skins:

Dr. Madigan-Regalts explains that numbness and weakness are some of the more commonly known signs. She advises to “take a warm towel to relieve the pain, make an appointment to see your podiatrist, and keep medication or analgesics by your side to reduce further swelling.”

Treatment Begins Within 30 Minutes to an Hour:

Oftentimes, pain doesn’t happen until after a period of time has passed. “Take a slow, gentle place that’s dark and quiet,” she says. “This not only helps you to focus on the pain, but it’s also a great place to develop self-care habits. Don’t seek out ibuprofen, aspirin, or other painkillers. Instead, find ways to distract yourself in an enjoyable way, like walking, reading, dancing, or painting your nails.”

Nail Washes Can Help:

Dr. Lila Fitzroy, a registered doctor in podiatry and former MLB player, explains that your nails need to be cleansed after a nail polish application. If they are not, your nails will continue to be covered in nail polish. “You can have some sort of an oral rinse and those can help cleanse and make them healthier and stronger,” she says.

Avoid Brow Manipulation:

If you ask a celebrity manicurist if she knows of any ways to treat nail biting, the answer will probably be, “Not using black polish on your nails.” “Black nail polish can block the nail bed, causing mild inflammation, numbness, and eventually pain,” Beink explains. If your nails are covered in black nail polish, you may want to have them painted in a different color. According to Dr. Fitzroy, “doing so will bring out the color and draw your eyes to the nail bed.”

Making a New Habits:

It doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing approach. “Sometimes you just have to have a compromise,” Dr. Madigan-Regalts says. “Like, for example, give up having a single color polish or using a single manicure tool.” Another coping mechanism that could help: When it comes to deep nail biting, “give the manicurist the power to bend your nails with a flexible tool,” Beink says.

Just Make Sure to Take Care of Your Bones, Too:

With culture, evolution, and medications, your nails will continue to grow. Dr. Fitzroy’s advice on avoiding this fate? “Sinus infections can be really bad for nails.” Dr. Madigan-Regalts also adds, “If you have aches and pains, you should be seeing your physician to be evaluated.”

She also mentioned that burning, blistering, inflammation, and itchiness could be side effects of overusing your nails. “I recommend patients visit their local physician before deciding to use nail polish because chemicals found in nail polish can be harmful,” Dr. Madigan-Regalts said.

All in all, if you stop biting your nails, their pain will be lessened and your overall skin will feel better, too. I can promise you that I have at least one person in my life who still bites their nails!