hello all you lovely nail geeks just wanted to ask you a question and wondered if u could help me out,

im a terrible nail biter and my nails are shorter than short and i also pick then ive tried all different ways to stop me from biting them but nothing seems to work, i just assume its a very bad habbit now, ive tried the stuff u paint on that tastes horrible , and being a hairdresser i would love to have a nice set of fingers trouble is i went and had a full set on nails put on the acrylic ones and then the lady did like a french manicure on them and they looked lovely all i kept doing was looking at myself in the mirror with them but after about 4 days they all came off i didnt pick them or anything and i know with being a hairdresser they wouldnt last as long as i have my hands under water etc but i thought they would of laster longer than that do you think it was because my natural nails are very short, they used to be quite soft but there like paper now

is there anything i can start to do to try and strengthen them up so i can go to someone and have something done to them ..i want to have lovely nails

any advice would be recieved gratefully x

Regular manicures wil help then have a gel overlay over your natural nails.

ha ha if you ask Carl aka nailzoo how to stop biting your nails he would tell you to dip them in dog poo each morning and if that doesn't stop you biting nothing will lol.
Yes regular manicures should help and invest in some solar oil and apply it as many times a day as you can, this will help them in every way imaginable and will also protect them from all the chemicals and constant water with your job hth

Well you have started by admitting that you have a habbit which you want to stop/get rid of - so that is a huge step

It is quite difficult to break a habit but it can be done!

Try using these tips -

Every time you go to bite a nail, mark it down on a sheet of paper, that way you will identify a pattern ie - if you were under pressure, bored, what time of day etc.

Reward yourself if you have managed to not bite your nails for some many days - but not with another habit forming thing

If you realise you are just about to bite a chunk out of that lovely bit of free edge, try and walk away and do something different.

Get a trusted friend to give you a friendly nudge every time she/he sees you just about to eat your nails!

Make sure you are with people who will support you and not be negative by telling you will fail with breaking the habit!

Put a coin into a jar every time you feel the urge to bite your nails - when this has added up to a reasonable amount and you have been bite free for a while TREAT yourself

If you bite your nails give yourself a mini punishment - so if you don't like cleaning the toilet, go and clean it - even if it doesn't need doing!

Use distraction methods as soon as you feel the urge - most habits coincide with stress - so try and reduce your stress levels where possible!

Most importantly believe in yourself - you can do it and remember a habit isn't formed over night and therefore can not be broken overnight - you have to give it a good go - at least a month !

Best of luck and hths a little - BTW the above tips can be used with any sort of habit

Carry a nail file around with you....

Biters normally hate anything thats out...raggy...uneven...thats why they keep going till its smooth and no rough bits. Break the biting habit by filing the rough bits instead.

Thats how I stopped my ex husband biting, (his nails lol) he got very good at the manicure bit, also the solar oil, can't recomend it enough. I don't think your enhancements came of because of being a hair dresser, my hair dresser has enhancements and has no problems at all with them. I would look for a geek in your area and start having the manicures, buy the solar oil and before you know it you'll be able to have new enhancements on, one that stay put this time and don't leave your own nails paper thin.

my sister in law swears by nail envy.

hi there up untill 6 months ago i was always biting my nails to the point that they would bleed constantly and get infected! then one day i decided enough was enough i bought some of the horrible tasting nail stuff (id used this loads of times before and it never worked!) but this time i used it to remind me that i wanted to stop biting because most of the time i didnt even notice i was doing it! it really worked when i tasted that stuff i just sat on my hands for a while! my nails grew so nice and thats when i decided to train in nails!!!! hth xxx

Hunny I really feel for you, some excellent advice has been given on here already and lots of it (dontcha just lurve the geeks )

Have a look at these ...THERE IS HOPE FOR YOUR NAILS I promise....it will takes lots of work but you will get there,...and it will be soooo worth it when you do
(ps. the client in these threads is also a hairdresser )
you are not on your own with this one hunny x

and look !!!! im on a roll ...(pics) nail biter!!

yet another update on my nail biter client ..

Very proud of my nail biter client ! (pics)

My severe nail biter.....revisited lol

In my opinion, judging from my own nails (ex-biter) and those of my nibbling clients, nail-biters tend to have a certain type of natural nail, ie thin, weak and papery.

They start biting in the first place because their own nails split and tear and look ragged. They tend to be perfectionists and nibble the nails to start with in order to "neaten them up". Because of the nature of their own nails, there is soon another split to neaten up and a habit is soon created.

That's my theory, anway lol. I expect there are exceptions though but that is mainly what I've found. Carrying a file at all times should help neaten up torn pieces without starting the habit again.

So whilst a nail biter can definitely break the habit, I think it's unlikely that their own natural nails will ever grow to any length (ie much over fingertip) without having an overlay.

As far as nail strengtheners go, Nail Envy is the only one I have ever found to be effective, of course once removed the nails are the same as before.

thanks you all soooo much for your help and advice i feel so self conscience of my nails being a hairdresser i think its about time i do something about it

some of you have mentioned solar oil and nail envy can anyone tell me where i could get this from and if i take more interests in my nails doing little manicures on myself it should be a starting point and il deffinatly invest in a nail file

and snugglepuss i love the idea of putting money in a jar im already thinking what i could do with it now

its so true what u have all said about rough nail edges if i feel one i need to munch on it i get mad at myself but ive tried sitting on my hands but all my brains are saying are bite me bite me

thanks again for all ur help

hope uve all had a good day

wow thank you so much for this its given me something to look up to ur wirk is brilliant

that is great advice

hope you kick your habit soon

Ok so Nail Evny is from OPI I live by it I realy can't give you any advise the rest of the geeks haven't already give you GOOD JOB GEEKS the combined Knowledge on this site is amazing!!!!