Where to begin?

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone! I've always been a nail biter and thus had awful looking nails. I'm trying to stop this bad habit and take care of my nails and keep them healthy and clean looking. I don't know the first thing about nail health so I'm looking for some help. What do I need to be doing to keep my nails healthy and get them looking nice? Are there any products you recommend? Any suggestions are welcome and highly appreciated!

[guyfawksey]

i've posted this in a similar thread, but i've copied it here for your reference:

soak them in olive oil (or use an oil nail polish bottle and paint it on!) - it's high in linoleic acid (which helps prevent the nails from peeling, because it bonds the layers of keratin together). if you want to supplement, try evening primrose oil, black currant oil and borage oil (recommended by dr. weil).

and honestly, i've used my sister's tanning oil in a pinch lol....it smells so good, and lasts forever! it's mostly liquid paraffin (mineral oil), so use it after the olive oil to keep the moisture in! i do this before bedtime...if you're worried about messy sheets, get some mittens from the dollar store!

[ather]

@Anonymous  I’ve been a bad nail bitter all my life and I did gel nails to help make my nails look better ( I still would bite them and rip them off) but I took a job last year that wouldn’t allow gel nails or anything so I was forced to have clean nails. I bite mine till they hurt. I got Dior Crème Abricot Fortifying Cream For Nails and use it before bed I massage it into my nails. It’s very sticky but it’s my last step before bed and literally my nails grow fast and strong and I don’t bite anymore. I think I would bite cause they would snag and now they are strong and I have to cut them down all the time. 

[RaeRae3235]

@Anonymous, I've recently been trying to take care of my nails also. My problem is they will grow out (not even that long), but then they will crack or break way far down. The one thing I've been told that will help is a nail/cuticle oil. You're suppose to put it on twice a day, but I'm lucky if I remember to do it once. So I try to do it right before bed. I have noticed that they are growing stronger when I am consistent. You may try it. You'd be less likely to bite them if they had oil on them. I know that they also make clear polish that you can put on that will leave a bad taste in your mouth so you don't bite on them too. I don't know the name of it though.

[Angelex]

@Anonymous , I used to always bite my nails.  It was a nervous habit, for me I think it had to do with my anxiety.  I tried a lot of things to stop, but the thing that actually worked for me was acrylics.  I couldn’t bite fake nails.  I had them done for a couple of years.  It broke the habit for me.  I haven’t worn fake nails for several years now (don’t really have the time or inclination, so now I only get them done for special occasions), but I no longer have any issues with biting my nails.  I hope you find something that works as well for you!