For nail biters and nail pickers, the moment we see a chipped or cracked nail just hanging there, it’s an invitation to bite or rip it off. That’s just how it is. Having said that, when we bite or pick our nails constantly and keep them so short, we often don’t get a chance to get nails long enough that chipped nails are even a possibility.
And when I quit nail biting and realized how cool it is to have nails that are actually smooth and not rough, I quickly discovered that it’s a real novelty. It’s a bit hard to get used to rubbing one finger against your nails and feeling smoothness.
But what I really couldn’t believe was how mad I got when after about 6 weeks of not biting my nails, I reached into my pocket to grab my wallet and when I pulled the wallet out, I noticed that I had a chip and slight rip on my left middle finger! I so mad because it was ripped in a way that I knew it would be shorter than the other nails when I filed it down.
After 40+ years of biting my nails without a care in the world, all it took was 6 weeks give or take of no nail biting for me to realize how much I’d already gotten used to having nice nails. And the worst part of discovering the chipped nail? My first thought right in the store was to pick the nail and rip off the cracked part. It’s a hard habit to break, nail biting…
But I did hold off. I caught myself, finished paying and went home and used a nail file right away to take care of the chip rather than biting or picking it which is what I would have done right in the store just 6 weeks earlier. I have no idea how the chipped nail happened but I took care of it the right way.
Chipped Fingernails
Fingernail chips tend to occur when they become dry and brittle which may happen for numerous reasons including:
- Repeatedly getting your hands wet and keeping them damp for long periods of time ie. you’re a plumber, dishwasher, janitor, swimmer.
- Fungal infections or other infections of the nails and fingers.
- Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) where thyroid hormone production is below normal which can lead to several side effects including weakness of nails.
- Overuse of nail polish remover or alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Biting and picking your nails which places stress on the nails.
For nail biters, the moment we see a chipped nail our first inclination is to take care of the offending nail by biting or otherwise ripping off that part which can further damage the nail and slow the healing.
Solution: Carry a nail file with you to quickly take care of chipped nails so you don’t feel the need to bite or pick the chipped part off. Try to avoid cases where your fingernails are constantly getting wet and dry repeatedly especially during winter and dry conditions which can exacerbate the condition.
Use a moisturizer on hands to keep skin and nails from drying.
A biotin supplement may also help but check with your doctor first to ensure you aren’t wasting your money on a supplement you don’t need and also to ensure that you aren’t suffering from something more serious.
Stick a bandaid on chipped nails to protect them from getting ripped and to further help you avoid biting or picking them.
Cracked Fingernails
Cracked nails can occur for a number of reasons including age, use of nail polish removers and other chemicals, physical trauma, constantly damp hands or vitamin deficiency among other reasons. As we get older, nails on our fingers become thinner and more brittle. Trauma at any age (again, closing the nail in a door or smacking it against something) isn’t good and the older we get the less able our nails are to stand up to this wear and tear.
Solution: Gently file away cracked nails such as the one shown above especially if you’re a nail biter to avoid the desire to bite it off. While you could try a nail strengthener to decrease the brittleness of your fingernails, you may also consider a nail-specific lotion with lanolin.
Also try to avoid getting your hands wet and dry repeatedly throughout the day outside of hand washing of course. Damp nails throughout the day will weaken them as mentioned above.
Split Fingernails
About three weeks after I stopped biting my nails I suddenly noticed a split down the center of my right baby fingernail. I can feel the split right in the center of the nail if I run another nail across it. Three weeks later it’s still there of course because it’ll take many months for the nail to grow out. But I have no idea how I got it and don’t remember smacking it or otherwise damaging it with blunt force.
Split fingernails tend to occur because of blunt force (you smack it against something, close it in a door, etc), you have a nutritional deficiency or simple wear and tear. It could also be your profession if you have a physical job working with your hands.
And of course it could be caused by biting and picking nails which does place great stress on them. I never got split nails when I bit and picked them but then again they were shorter so there wasn’t much to split.
Solution: Time. It takes about 6 full months for a fingernail to grow back completely and replace itself. Assuming you have no underlying condition a new fingernail will eventually grow back without the split and it will effectively fix itself.
While a nail strengthening polish might help you, if you simply smacked your fingernail or knocked it and damaged it with force, you might not need such a product.
Chipped And Cracked Teeth
Chipped and cracked fingernails aren’t the only things that you may experience as a nail biter. What about the damage to your mouth and teeth over time?
We’ve spoken on this website already regarding some of the main dental concerns that nail biting can cause that nail biters need to be aware of. Common ones that all nail biters can face whether we realize it or not include:
- Transfer of bacteria and infections from our fingers into our mouth.
- Wear and tear on our teeth and possibly long term damage such as tooth chipping, broken teeth and damage down to the root of the tooth.
- Jaw damage or other problems such as Temporomandibular disorders (TMD).
- Shifting and gaps in our teeth.
- Decreased success with orthodontic braces if you have them.
Here are three other related side effects on your teeth and jaw and how Bruxism (teeth grinding) and nail biting go hand in hand. These ones might be side effects that occur over time and aren’t immediately noticeable but can hurt for the long term.
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