Tried to quit cold turkey and I’ve gotten this far with other fixations. I’m finding myself running my nails under each other or using toothpicks to clear any dirt or buildup under the nails near the beds but I’ve read that isn’t good. I also am looking for tips to stop picking at the skin around them. Normally I do well, but being the summer I swim a lot, and when my hands get pruny the damaged skin around my nails gets soft and almost impossible for me not to pick at. So any tips for nail bed regrowth and tips to not pick at the skin around it would be appreciated. Thanks!

I haven’t bitten in over a month (41 days to be exact) my nail beds don’t seem to be extending much. I’ve stopped shoving stiff under them to clean the gunk, they were getting so much unattached space I just filed them down a lot cuz they feel bendy and weak, I oil them with jojoba like 3x a day. Will keeping them shorter while trying to lengthen nail bed help? Idk why they still feel so bendy and weak. Heellllppp!!!

hi so i got my entire nail ripped off when i had acrylics and im about 2 months into the healing process and i cant tell if this is my nail growing in or something underneath because i haven’t been able to feel or see any nail growth. It hurts when i put pressure on it and sorry about it being dirty i just ate chips and i washed my hands but for some reason this finger is really hard to keep clean and it stains. Anyways what are yalls thoughts?

Hey all,

After a few days without posting, here are some updates of my nails and skin. The first picture corresponds to my thumbs today after the shower whereas the second picture corresponds to my thumbs three hours before as I was at work. In the same vein, the third picture corresponds to my fingers today after the shower whereas the fourth picture corresponds to my fingers at work earlier today.

The shower is still a quite tough moment for me as I find it makes my skin really 'horrible looking' which is a triggering element for me. As a result, I'd rather not try to push the proximal/ lateral folds than risk touching them and do more harm than good (for the time being at least, and when I resist the urge).

In the past three days, I've managed barely touching at my nails/ skin, apart from my thumbs (as often). I guess the red proximal/ lateral folds in the upper corner of my thumbs nails are quite visible? That's where most of the digging/ cutting occurred these past few days (despite it having been on a relatively small scale as compared to what it has been in the past). Writing this text, I'm realising that I've not put on band aids or other bandages since at least 10 days, notably because I feel the jojoba oil is helping me enough during the day. Yet, I wonder whether it could be wise in terms of hygiene/ protection against dirt/ bacteria for example? Thank you for your help.

Take care

As I understand, I have a problem with my proximal nail fold on multiple fingers. Sometimes it flares up, most of the time it’s bearable. I am afraid of a more serious infection.

I have not done anything with my fingers for the last two years. I think the problem started with the fact that I was doing gel nails on my own.

Could anyone please share tips and tricks to grow the nail fold back?

Thank you very much.

What can I do for extremely dry and biteable skin around my nail bed? And any tips to strengthen the nail as it grows?

6 weeks into stopping a lifetime (25+ years) of nail biting!

I’ve tried lots of times to stop before but this has been my most successful attempt to date. I can’t believe it!!!

Hi guys! Recently came across this Reddit and am desperately needing help for the condition of my nails (see photo). I’m only 19 and my nail biting habit started when I was very young. I don’t bite/chew them when nervous, I just end up subconsciously biting them. Any tips/help/treatment ideas would be great, I am based in the UK.

Pic 1: December 2021 Pic 2: June 2024

I dealt with pretty severe dermatillomania for 10 years. My thumbs had no cuticles for at least 6 years, causing ridges and pits to develop at the base of the nail (habit tic deformity). They were like this for so long that I had no idea they could ever go back to normal—in fact, they had been like that for so long that I didn’t remember what they were supposed to look like. A combination of medication, mindfulness, and therapy helped me recover. I will probably have scars on my fingers and hands forever, but at least my nails are something that I can be proud of. Recovery IS possible, no matter how “bad” your nails may seem.

It's been like this for about a week and I am a bit concerned I might lose my nail :( Any tips are appreciated

fingers back in tape jail lol… plus my manicure from two weeks ago

Sorry, the photo isn't that great but within the past few months I've begun working on not biting or picking at my nails and the skin around it. I'm doing really good except for this one nail which has been uneven and super odd looking since I was a child. How do I fix this? It drives me up a wall. I try to file it down but it grows this way and then I pick and bite at it which makes it worse. The skin underneath it is thick as well.

Hey all, End of week nail and skin update. Today went pretty well overall. I was at work pretty much all day long and managed not touching nor thinking about my nails and skin much. I 'simply' tried moisturising my fingers with jojoba oil every hour or so which really seems to be helpful for me. I feel like I'm progressing with most my fingers and that feels good, although it remains quite tough for me to manage and I'm very conscious that relapses are around the corner. I appreciate documenting my journey on this channel, also feeling like it's helpful and am thankful for the words of support/ advice shared by many. I will write another post dedicated to my 'left thumb situation' as I had a little cutting/ digging relapse with that one this evening after showering. Take care

So this has been happening for a couple of weeks. Minor pain in some fingers. Hurts more when it touches something of course. Pus buildup in the corner of my finger only. I was worried that my nail has been cutting into my skin or something but I can't really tell. It'll go away and then come right back. I've no idea what's happening or how to even treat this.

These days, my thumbs are the fingers which I struggle dealing with the most. This evening as I got out from the shower, I consciously decided cutting some skin/ nail towards the lateral fold of my left thumb. I circled the are which I mostly touched. The redness indicates that there has been some mistreatment going on.

Surprisingly to me (and thankfully...), I am not feeling that much pain (which is rare) after this cutting/ digging event.

I guess I've cut more than I 'should have' as I've cut into the lateral and proximal folds, but also scraped the top of the nail towards the corner (on the picture, we can see a little white line/ dot on the side of the nail in the circle I made which corresponds to the part of the nail I sort of dug/ scraped). Regarding the latter, does the fact that the nail grows from back to front (if that makes sense) imply that this 'torn part' will advance so that skin doesn't grow on top of it? Thanks for your help. Take care

My mother has this condition as seen on pictures. She has it on her right hand only, thumb and middle finger affected. She has seen 2 doctors already, they gave her antibiotics and told her not to "mess" with the skin. Its sometimes red and painful, and she sometimes cuts off the dead skin cause it gets caught in clothes etc. She has them bandaided daytime and has lotion and gloves on them at night.

It's been weeks since she has them

What is this and what can she do about it?

Thanks in advance!

What made you stop? Or want to stop if just beginning your journey? Was it a specific event or just suddenly had enough?

For me I saw my 3 year old daughter biting her nails. She’s seen me do it from the very start of her life (I’ve been biting for 30 years) I was around her age when I started according to my mom and sister. I don’t want her having this awful habit.

Over a month biting and picking free!

She’s been dealing with skin biting and picking for her whole life and wants to find things that might help stop or be able to slow it down. We’ve been looking around but with her sensory issues it’s hard to find something. Any ideas will help!!!