Help with a nail problem

[angeleyezx]

Hi all.

I was wondering if you lovely people could help me with a hand/nail problem.
Since well midway through secondary school I developed a habit of biting/picking the skin around my thumbs(gross!) my Dad does the same.
I'm now 24 and still have the same problem, I always thought it was habit and I do it when I'm bored or stressed, but I do have really dry hands maybe that is a factor.
It's always the right side of of thumb on my right and and the left side of my thumb on my left hand.
It bleeds from time to time it's so bad, the (I think it's called) lunula is larger than normal on my thumbs and my nails on my thumbs grow in a different direction.
I'm worried that I'll lose the nails eventually or something.
I have tried stopping, moisturising and putting plasters over it and it will heal up go smooth and then I'll go back to it.

Has anyone experience this problem before and have some professional advice?
Is there anyway to correct damage?

Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Kind regards
Hannah

 

[An*Gel]

Hi Hannah,

Don't worry you're not alone. :hug:

This is a disorder called Habit tic and some people don't even realise that they do it!!

The best advise I can give (apart from telling you to stop doing it) is to go to a Nail tech and have it capped with either gel or acrylic.

This will keep it smooth and will be almost impossible to pick at.

As soon as your new nail begins to grow out, it should be nice and smooth and not damaged.

Hopefully at this stage, you will be out of the habit of picking, as the overlay will be so smooth that it won't be as easy to pick as your natural nail would be.

Hope this helps:hug:

 

[angeleyezx]

Thank you for a prompt and informative reply!!
It's is the skin I picked at, will the 'capping' still help?

I don't mean to sound truly awful but I haven't set foot in a nail bar (all but once which was a mani at like 13yo) and all the ones here (East London) are priced at £10-18 for acrylic set and the nail techs here do not generally speak English well(none that I have found) and I am scared of going and having my nails totally ruined (well the other 8 are quite decent). Am I being unjust, do all nail techs in the UK have to be qualified to work in a shop?

 

[An*Gel]

Thank you for a prompt and informative reply!!
It's is the skin I picked at, will the 'capping' still help?

I don't mean to sound truly awful but I haven't set foot in a nail bar (all but once which was a mani at like 13yo) and all the ones here (East London) are priced at £10-18 for acrylic set and the nail techs here do not generally speak English well(none that I have found) and I am scared of going and having my nails totally ruined (well the other 8 are quite decent). Am I being unjust, do all nail techs in the UK have to be qualified to work in a shop?

I can totally understand how you feel.

You don't need to get a full set of gels or acrylics.. you just need one on your thumb.. which should only take about 10 mins and would cost £5 at the very most.

Hopefully you might find a great nail tech on here that can help you with your problem (I'm a bit too far away.. as much as I'd LOVE help you)

Can anyone help????

As for the skin that you pick... the best thing for that, is to keep it well moisturised ... although sometimes cream just isn't enough, so if you can get your hands on some Solar oil from CND or any cuticle oil ... it's so much better to keep the skin around your nails soft and therefore it will be much harder to pick at (the dryer the skin, the easier it will be to pick at)

 

[kajay]

Hi all.

I was wondering if you lovely people could help me with a hand/nail problem.
Since well midway through secondary school I developed a habit of biting/picking the skin around my thumbs(gross!) my Dad does the same.
I'm now 24 and still have the same problem, I always thought it was habit and I do it when I'm bored or stressed, but I do have really dry hands maybe that is a factor.
It's always the right side of of thumb on my right and and the left side of my thumb on my left hand.
It bleeds from time to time it's so bad, the (I think it's called) lunula is larger than normal on my thumbs and my nails on my thumbs grow in a different direction.
I'm worried that I'll lose the nails eventually or something.
I have tried stopping, moisturising and putting plasters over it and it will heal up go smooth and then I'll go back to it.

Has anyone experience this problem before and have some professional advice?
Is there anyway to correct damage?

Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Kind regards
Hannah

Hi, I used to do the same thing for over 20 years, until I had acrylic nails applied, and found that I couldn't pick at the skin with acrylic nails, so they healed up within two weeks, and now have lovely nails and no more ugly red thumbs!!! I suggest you try having acrylics applied, and see how you get on. xx

 

[Cathie!]

A fair few of my clients are skin pickers and their nail enhancements somehow prevent or stop them from picking the skin.

As soon as the nails are off, the picking starts again.

Strange but true.

I'm sure there will be some Geeks in your area who would be happy to help.

 

[dolly666]

I pick the skin round my right thumb quite bad i have found the only way to stop is to have nail extensions put on.Yes its true soon as they come off i start picking again ahhhhh.
It only takes a week and my thumb is healed.I have managed to leave my left one alone.

 

[Pooh8bear]

A hair client of mine recently had a brace put in to straighten her teeth, it was only then she realised she bit her nails whilst driving because she now has lovely natural nails.
The brace is due to come off soon, so hopefully she has kicked the habit.

 

[angeleyezx]

Thank you everyone for your response and reassuring me that I'm not a complete weirdo. I really appreciate it!!
I popped by my local hair dressers place that has a nail tech in there and picked up a print out of her services/prices and left. I had someone to pick up and she had 3 other people waiting.
On her list she has acrylic nails/wraps Gel nails/wraps Biosculpture and the other usual stuff.
She also does a discount for students on full set(£13) and infill(£10). They are closed tomorrow so I guess it's Monday at the earliest, I am so excited at the prospect of nice looking hands!

 

[An*Gel]

That's great... Don't forget to keep us all updated on how you get on

 

[Cathie!]

Those prices sound a bit too cheap to me, go careful and check whether they are insured and correctly trained!

 

[angeleyezx]

Posted via Mobile Device<- Sorry, that clearly didn't work!

I will keep you all informed on my 'progress'.

Cathie!, those prices are a promo I guess, the standard prices are £16 for a set and £15 infills. If I to a shop near my work I've been given leaflets for £15 and also £23. How do I go about checking those things without utterly offending someone?


Thanks again!

 

[razmack]

Hi there, im not sure what a standard price is in East London. I would have thought a bit higher then that as most tech i know charge between £25 - £45 so do be careful, please check she has insurance and carries out a client consultation to find out if your alergic to anything or on any medication etc.
All You need to do with regards to the insurance a what qualifications she has, is ask...if they/she cant or wont tell you LEAVE LEAVE LEAVE!!!!! (Why would she not want to show off her qualifications and insurance policies hey??)

If your nails contunie to grow in a different direction this could mean that you have damaged the matrix (the part that the nail starts/grows from). This is rare but could be permanant.

With regard to the Qualification question you asked earlier....NO there is no official law that states nail techs have to be qualified or even speak english!!!! I hate it but thats the way it is.

Be very very careful of the no english speaking salons as in my experience some of them could be using MMA which is very harmful. If they cannot tell you what ingredients are in their acrylic liquids-LEAVE - LEAVE NOW!


Sorry to be down but you have to be so careful nowadays, there are so many decent nail techs being overlooked because of these walkin salons it is a big issue for me. :irked: lol

Rowena xx

 

[angeleyezx]

Hi there, im not sure what a standard price is in East London. I would have thought a bit higher then that as most tech i know charge between £25 - £45 so do be careful, please check she has insurance and carries out a client consultation to find out if your alergic to anything or on any medication etc.
All You need to do with regards to the insurance a what qualifications she has, is ask...if they/she cant or wont tell you LEAVE LEAVE LEAVE!!!!! (Why would she not want to show off her qualifications and insurance policies hey??)

If your nails contunie to grow in a different direction this could mean that you have damaged the matrix (the part that the nail starts/grows from). This is rare but could be permanant.

With regard to the Qualification question you asked earlier....NO there is no official law that states nail techs have to be qualified or even speak english!!!! I hate it but thats the way it is.

Be very very careful of the no english speaking salons as in my experience some of them could be using MMA which is very harmful. If they cannot tell you what ingredients are in their acrylic liquids-LEAVE - LEAVE NOW!


Sorry to be down but you have to be so careful nowadays, there are so many decent nail techs being overlooked because of these walkin salons it is a big issue for me. :irked: lol

Rowena xx

Thanks Rowena, Ill call tomorrow and ask.
I'm a little scared now of what to expect,
Aslong as everything seems okay ill ask
for just for thumb nails to covered.


It would be nice to see more
Regulation of the nail biz. X
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