Can Bitten Nails Grow Back To Normal?

Nail Biting is very common in people. Up to 30% of the population have this bad habit which Is caused by stress and anxiety. If you’re one of these people, you are probably asking, Can bitten nails grow back to normal?

The answer is yes, they can grow back to normal but there are more things that you should learn. There are actually some severe cases of nail-biting that require deep treatment. Nail-biting is clinically known as onychophagia. This habit starts from childhood and can still possibly occur in early adolescence. According to research, there are 3 reasons why people bite their nails:

Anxiety and Stress. A common reason for nail-biting is anxiety and stress. When these people get anxious, they resort to biting their nails. This is difficult to handle because you are unconsciously putting it in your mouth.
Boredom. For some people, when skriked by boredom, you are most likely to find something to do to keep you occupied and they tend to bite their nails.
Loss of Concentration. Nail-biting is addictive. When you lose control of it, you will just find yourself biting your nails unconsciously, making you lose your concentration on what you’re doing. When you start noticing that you’re losing your concentration, be aware of how to focus on the assigned task.

Although these are the 3 main reasons for nail-biting, some psychological illnesses are incorporated with it such as Tourette syndrome, ADHD, and OCD. Don’t worry, it doesn’t mean that if you do it, you have these syndromes. Most of them are already diagnosed in early childhood but if you want to be sure for yourself, you should go and see a specialist.

Let’s go back to growing our bitten nails. How long will it take to grow them back to normal? It’s important to know the condition of your nail beds. If it’s not severely damaged, then growing it back won’t be a problem. If the nail is already worn, then you have to wait for three to six months before it grows back to normal, however, if you notice something that’s different, it’s still best to see a doctor. Severe nail-biting can cause infections.

What can we do to stop the habit?

Keep your nails trimmed short to the point that you cannot reach them with your teeth.
Keep yourself occupied at all times to forget about biting your nails. If you noticed that you’re doing it again, do something else so you won’t be triggered
Replace it with a good habit, like getting a regular manicure. If you start to be more hygienic with your nails, you will eventually overcome it.
Apply something bitter to your nails. When you do this, your tongue will taste and won’t be satisfied.
Wear gloves. If you really find it difficult to stop the habit, wear gloves to prevent it. This hack will take you off from biting your nails again because your hands are already covered.

Now that you have finally stopped that worst habit that infects and damages your nails, you can finally enjoy doing what normal people do with their nails like nail arts.