by Felicity Jakc

Created on: September 20, 2008   Last Updated: February 20, 2009

1. Don't stress about it

Nail biting is usually caused by stress or discomfort, or anxiety, or sheer habit. Awareness that our nails are ragged, uneven, torn, sometimes so much so that the tips are painful, only adds to that stress. Because our nails look untidy we are immediately tempted to try and 'fix' them, by chewing the tip a little straighter, nibbling carefully at a torn edge. Don't. But do fix it.

For this to work nail scissors need always to be at hand. And they need to be really nice ones, well-shaped and sharp, and pleasing to look at, to hold and to use. It is worthwhile looking around until you find a pair that fit easily into your hand, are easy to hold and manipulate, and that trim easily and neatly. Don't skimp on this.

If the urge is too great and you are left, as I am at the moment, with two nails chewed ridiculously short, repeat, don't stress. The great thing about nails is that they will grow back.

2. Keep nails short and neat, and pamper them.

It is not necessary to have long, beautifully shaped nails in order to wear nail polish. Drew Barrymore wears short, brightly polished nails in a movie in which she plays a songwriter, and they look great.

Enjoying your nails is a way to help the anxious part of you to leave them alone. It also gives you something to do with them when the urge to gnaw is overwhelming.

Get together a collection of beautiful colours, soft colours, silly colours, polish with little flecks of silver and gold, a really good bright red (in your particular shade), a really pretty, soft neutral, and a clear gloss for when you want to do something but not add colour. Put them in an attractive wide but shallow bowl, along with a nail file, another pair of scissors (the others are in your bag, to be available at all times), and a tube of sweet smelling, moisutrizing hand and/or cuticle cream. Sweet almond oil is a good general moisturizer. If nothing is at hand, olive oil is excellent, but not as aesthetically pleasing. As with the scissors in your bag keep this bowl somehwere immediately accessible.

If you can identify the times you are most likely to chew try keeping the bowl there. This might be in your bedroom, in the kitchen, or near the computer or television.

3. Keep your nails healthy.

Nails that are dry or weak break easily, leading to pulling and tearing in an attempt to tidy the edges. Dry skin also causes the delicate skin that surrounds the nail to shrink and hardens, again making them irresistable to pick. Moisturize regularly

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