6 professional tips to stop biting your nails

Since you were a child, you have had a bad habit of biting your nails to the point that it becomes sickly. A knock, in a way. Besides the fact that it is not aesthetic, you can imagine, it is not very good for your health. Rest assured, you are not alone in this mess. A third of the French are said to be affected by onychophagia. This behavioral disorder is therefore much more common than you might think. So where does this mania come from? What solutions to this problem? We take stock.

What are the causes and consequences of onychophagia?

Stress and anxiety are the main causes of onychophagia. You must have noticed that it is often when you or your children find yourself in an unmanageable situation that you put your hands in your mouth. In the same way that you could put the hair behind the ears… This behavioral disorder, which affects people of all ages, is most often mild. However, it can have much more annoying consequences. "Beyond the aesthetic aspect, this mania can cause deformation of the nail and prevent it from regrowing correctlyt", informs Sandrine Ducroq Pereira, head of animation, coordination and Colorii training. This habit can also cause micro lesions in the skin and lead to local infections. The risk is also hygienic. And this for two reasons. This gesture is, most of the time, mechanical. So by the time you put your hands in your mouth, you haven't necessarily washed them. Otherwise, "the nail is the ideal gateway for bacteria that then enter our body"It can also affect the teeth and damage the enamel of the teeth.
So what are the tips and solutions to stop biting your nails?

Tip # 1: test the bitter-tasting polish

Bitter tasting varnish, do you know? This product tastes so bad that it will make you want to bite your nails again. "You can also coat the fingertips with a vegetable oil with a bitter taste, such as Touloucouna vegetable oil or Andiroba vegetable oil. These virgin oils contain natural compounds that give them a bitter taste", explains Emilie Jolibois, cosmetic ingredient research expert at Aroma-Zone. They are thus a natural alternative to bitter varnishes."For the most addicted, we can add two drops of essential oil (in the equivalent of half a teaspoon of vegetable oil, which we will use to massage the fingers) of Thyme with linalool, Tea tree or Lavender true, the smell of which can effectively remind you not to bite your nails ". Essential oils have the power to limit the risk of infection in the event of a nail that is already too chewed (presence of small wounds) and promote repair.

Product selection:

Hérôme's bitter varnish

Guide price: 13.90 euros, free delivery. Available on Nocibé

Ecrinal bitter stop nail polish

Indicative price: 5.35 euros. Available on Santédiscount

Touloucouna vegetable oil from Aroma-Zone

Indicative price: 9.50 euros + delivery costs 5.50 euros. Available on Aroma-Zone

Tip # 2: Do a manicure

What if taking care of your hands could deter us from biting our nails? The psychological plays a crucial role in onychophagia. "When we give them a manicure, our clients realize how important having beautiful hands is. Some people spend their time putting their fingers in their mouths because they have a little protruding skin; it bothers them. In fact, it proves that their hands are lacking in hydration", affirms Sandrine Ducrocq.
During a manicure, the beautician will, in particular, file the nails, moisturize the cuticles and push them gently with a stick. Healthy cuticles allow better regrowth of the nail. The manicure ends with an application of varnish, whether it is traditional varnish or permanent varnish. "Either way, it requires maintenance. But in general, when you have beautiful hands, you want to keep them", explains the specialist before breaking a received idea."Contrary to what you may hear people say, just because you bite your nails doesn't mean you can't do a manicure. On the contrary, varnish, even on short nails, is very pretty. It lengthens the nails …"

Read also : 7 tips for finally getting a perfect manicure at home

Product selection:

Magic Oil of Colorii

Indicative price: 4.90 euros: Available on Bleu libellule

The Body Shop Nail & Cuticle Oil

Indicative price: 10 euros. Available on The Body Shop

Aroma-Zone natural nail care set

Complete set with organic nail & cuticle care oil + a shiny top coat and a nude pink varnish
Indicative price: 5.90 euros + delivery 5.50 euros. Available on Aroma-Zone

Mavala nail polish

Indicative price: 4.92 euros. Available on Parashop

Tip # 3: Get false nails

Another solution: the installation of false nails. The advantage is that they camouflage natural nails by covering them. There are several techniques for applying false nails. One of these, recommended when you have short or bitten nails, is to use a gel, which is dried under a UV lamp to solidify them. "Applying false nails requires maintenance", notes Sandrine Ducrocq."A first filling is necessary a fortnight after installation. We can then space the appointments by three weeks ". The result is immediate. "VSit not only makes beautiful hands, but once the false nails are applied, customers usually don't touch them anymore ". For fear of damaging them but also because it is difficult to bite false nails

Read also : How to remove false nails? Manual
Damaged nails: 14 tips to treat them

Tip 4: Diffuse essential oils at home

"To calm stress and nervousness which are often a trigger for people who bite their nails: diffuse calming essential oils, such as HE Fine Lavender, True Lavender, Petitgrain Bitter Orange, Marjoram, Mandarin, Bergamot", recommends the Aroma-Zone specialist.

Product selection:

Lavender Fine PDO Essential Oil from Pranarom

Indicative price: 6.82 euros. Available on Santédiscount

Organic Petitgrain bigarade essential oils from the Compagnie des sens

Indicative price: 2.80 euros. Available on the Compagnie des sens

Tip # 5: Prepare a roll-on from essential oils

"To help calm stress but also to restore strength and fight against the addictive side, we can prepare a small roll-on and pass it on the solar plexus and the inner faces of the wrists as soon as the need arises, and breathe the scent deeply", indicates Emilie Jolibois.
The specialist details the preparation:

10 drops HE Kunzea (restores strength, helps fight addictions)
15 drops HE Bergamot (anti-stress and vehicle for joy and optimism)
10 drops HE Roman Chamomile (powerful nervous calming)
4 ml HV Apricot or Jojoba (oily carrier)

HE = essential oil
HV = vegetable oil

Important details: all tips and recipes with essential oils are for adults only and not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Tip 6: Apply an oil bath for the fingers

"To strengthen the nails, calm the irritations around the bitten nails and promote the healing of small wounds: carry out an oil bath for the fingers with 2 tablespoons of Castor vegetable oil (strengthens the nails) + 10 drops HE Lavender aspic ( antiseptic, soothing irritation and restorative). Let the fingertips soak for ten minutes then massage the oil into the fingers", explains Emilie Jolibois.

Organic lavender aspic essential oil from Puressentiel

Indicative price: 6.19 euros. Available on Newpharma