Cuticle picking?

mustlovepoodles, RN · Feb 20, 2013

I am a nail biter, have been since I was 15 months old, so my mother says. Nail biting and skin picking are self-soothing behaviors that are related to OCD. I know when I'm biting. i know it looks nasty. I know my nails look disgusting(I have literally bitten them all down to the cuticle. All I have is bare nail beds.) I dont' like the way it looks, but I have been powerless to stop it. I have a lot of anxiety and stress in my life and biting my nails instantly diffuses the anxiety.

I have been in therapy and i still take psychotropic medications, but it has had no effect on the nail biting. I wash hands a LOT and I wear gloves when there is risk of transmitting germs. But I'm 56 and I don't think it's gonna change any time soon. I have learned to make peace with myself over nail biting.

RNperdiem, RN · Feb 20, 2013

My kids' eyebrowless, lashless best friend has something similiar. Except she pulls hair instead of cuticles. She tells me she is on medication for this; I am not sure what.

Medic2RN, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Feb 20, 2013

In the winter time, my hands get so dry from hand washing. My knuckles sometimes crack, so I'll paint some liquid bandaid on the cracks before work. Perhaps that will help you while you deal with your habit.

llg, PhD, RN · Feb 20, 2013

I confess. I have the same habit. It comes and goes. Each time, I say "I am not going to do this again."

And then I do.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Feb 20, 2013

This is called excoriation, or skin picking. Barring any last-minute changes, it's going to be included in the DSM-V (a.k.a. Psych Diagnosis Bible) in the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders section.

I do it too...it's usually tied in with my stress level.

As we can't give medical advice here, you need to seek the advice of your medical/psychiatric care provider if you are concerned about your behavior and/or the damage it has done to your skin. You need to address the underlying cause(s)...the problem is a tough one and won't be fixed overnight.

The extent of what I can suggest here is plenty of moisturizing: I find that dry skin is more tempting to pick at than skin that is soft and smooth.

Best of luck.

MedChica · Feb 20, 2013

I am an RN and I simply cannot stop picking my cuticles!! I do it until they bleed. I've done it for as long as I can remember, and I am desperate to find ways to stop. My trusty fix was always acrylic nails, but in this profession I can't do that. I am so afraid because I am obviously leaving my skin open as a portal of entry for pathogens. Does anyone else have this problem? I use lotions frequently and try my best to simply NOT do it, but I can't seem to stop. I pick at work. I pick at home. I pick in my car. I pick everywhere. I am desperate!

I have the same issue. I used to keep acrylics on for the same reason as well. I haven't had my nails done since before nursing school while doing aide work.

I was never one for manicures. I thought about getting those 'gel nail' ( iforget what they're called. Like nail polish but a harder-to-remove type of polish), but with all the handwashing?

To be honest? Three weeks ago, I came to terms with the fact that my fingernails are just going to be jacked the heck up and there isn't a thing to be done about it!

It's a losing battle.

MessyMomma · Feb 21, 2013

I too am a 'picker'. And the more rough, irritated it gets, the more I want to pick.

The one thing that really helps me is getting manicures every 2 weeks minimum. I have them polished with a pale gel polish (it's still allowed by my facility).

If I get a cuticle that is ragged, I try to immediately try it so that I won't pick it til it bleeds.

If there's an open area, I coat it with NuSkin or another liquid bandage product.

I try to moisturize really well when I'm off work---I adore Burt's Bees' Almond hand cream. I can apply it before bed and wake up with incredibly soft, repaired hands. I don't use lotion at work--I either have to wash it right off so I can get gloves on or take it off by washing or using alcohol gel.

LocaW8ta · Feb 21, 2013

I too am a 'picker'. And the more rough, irritated it gets, the more I want to pick.
The one thing that really helps me is getting manicures every 2 weeks minimum. I have them polished with a pale gel polish (it's still allowed by my facility).
If I get a cuticle that is ragged, I try to immediately try it so that I won't pick it til it bleeds.
If there's an open area, I coat it with NuSkin or another liquid bandage product.
I try to moisturize really well when I'm off work---I adore Burt's Bees' Almond hand cream. I can apply it before bed and wake up with incredibly soft, repaired hands. I don't use lotion at work--I either have to wash it right off so I can get gloves on or take it off by washing or using alcohol gel.

I agree with the hand creams as well as the manicures with the gel polish. Your cuticles will stay cleaned up (and professional) while your nails look neat and tidy as well. I have a very, very light color pink color right now with my nails kept short and square. It is unreal how long the gel polish stays nice and fresh looking. There is a lot of focus on my hands due to the type of nursing I do, so having super professional hands/nails is a must for me.

newtress, LPN · Feb 21, 2013

I was a nail biter and cuticle ripper for a long time. As a youngster the parents tried many stabs at trying to get me to stop. All methods did not have any effect on me and my fingers continued to look like light bulbs. One day out of the blue, I told myself that if I continued to do this, I would get finger cancer. It worked.

popcornkettle59 · Jan 16, 2014

I do too, its pretty severe, how can i stop this i know its bad

AlphaPig · Jan 18, 2014

I suffer from this, too - right now it is really bad. For about a year, I had "cured" myself by getting bi-monthly gel manicures - those manicures really do last for at least 2 weeks and look awesome and I wouldn't pick/bite while my nails looked purty. I got out of the habit and now they are trashed! I am too embarrassed to get them done while they look like this. Since acrylics helped you before, I say try getting a bright gel color.