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Nail biting: Does it cause long-term damage?
By Mayo Clinic staffOriginal Article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nail-biting/AN01144
- With Mayo Clinic dermatologist
Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
Dr. Lawrence Gibson likens bad health information on the Internet to food poisoning.
Consumers, he says, need to be aware and will find reliable information at MayoClinic.com.
Dr. Gibson, a Covington, Ky., native, has been with Mayo Clinic since 1986 and is board certified in dermatology, dermatopathology and immunodermatology. He is a professor of dermatology at Mayo Medical School and a consultant in the Department of Dermatology.
Dr. Gibson has served as the fellowship director for dermatopathology and as chair of the Laboratory Division in the Department of Dermatology. He is especially interested in inflammatory disorders of the skin, including vasculitis, and in lymphoma affecting the skin.
"Electronic information has become a staple in the diet of a health conscious society," he says. "It's important to avoid misinformation and provide a credible source for health information. Using this analogy, it's critical to avoid 'indigestion' or, worse yet, 'food poisoning' by the ingestion of tainted information."
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Question
Nail biting: Does it cause long-term damage?
Does nail biting cause any long-term nail damage?
Answer
from Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
Although unsanitary, nail biting isn't likely to cause long-term nail damage. Nails are formed at the nail bed — where the U-shaped cuticles begin. As long as the nail bed remains intact, nail biting isn't likely to interfere with fingernail growth. In fact, some research suggests that nail biting might even promote faster nail growth.
Nail biting isn't without risks, however. For example, nail biting can:
- Contribute to skin infections
- Aggravate existing conditions of the nail bed
- Increase the risk of colds and other infections by encouraging the spread of germs from the nails and fingers to the lips and mouth
In addition, compulsive nail biting is sometimes a sign of an underlying mental health condition, such as anxiety or an impulse control disorder.
If you're concerned about nail biting, consult your doctor or a mental health provider. To stop you from nail biting, he or she might suggest:
- Avoiding factors that trigger nail biting, such as boredom
- Finding healthy ways to manage stress and anxiety
- Keeping your nails neatly trimmed or manicured
- Occupying your hands or mouth with alternate activities, such as playing a musical instrument or chewing gum
In some cases, behavior therapy to stop nail biting might be warranted.
Next questionNail ridges: Cause for concern?
- Nails. American Academy of Dermatology. http://www.aad.org/media-resources/stats-and-facts/prevention-and-care/nails/nails. Accessed April 8, 2011.
- Grant JE, et al. Impulse-control disorders in children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Psychiatry Research. 2010;175:109.
- Tanaka OM, et al. Nailbiting, or onychophagia: A special habit. American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. 2008;134:305.
- Nail diseases. In: Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 5th ed. Edinburgh, U.K.; New York, N.Y.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00034-1&isbn=978-0-7234-3541-9&type=bookPage§ionEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00034-1--st0015&uniqId=238913083-3#4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00034-1--st0015. Accessed April 8, 2011.
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