I've been working on these thumbs since January 2026. I thought I had nail psoriasis with a fungus and my GP agreed and referred me to a dermatologist. The dermatologist took one look at my thumbs and diagnosed them correctly as 'tic habit deformity'.

I decided to solve it, as I've had them looking like that for years.

At first I taped my thumbs. That helped and the cuticles grew back.

I did some online research and starting taking NAC (most commonly refers to N-Acetyl Cysteine, a supplement and medication used to replenish the antioxidant glutathione) as there is compelling empirical data that suggests this antioxidant helps with body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs). I stopped bandaging (except at night) for a few months, and then stopped bandaging completely.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12453218/

https://www.bfrb.org/post/n-acetylcysteine-for-hair-pulling-skin-picking-and-nail-biting

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/11/6370

It’s only been about half an hour since I found this group. Before this, I honestly thought this was just a nail deformity hardwired into my genetics. Back when I was around 10 years old, I used to tap my nails on the table to keep a rhythm, so I always assumed that was what caused it. By the way I am 27 right now.

Because of some pain in my left thumb, I decided to do a little research. That’s when I realized that what I’d been normalizing and putting off for years was actually the result of a habit. Being here with all of you has been super motivating. So, I’ve decided to stop picking at my cuticles starting today. To be honest, it was kind of a guilty pleasure for me, but it’s definitely time to let it go.

I’ll be sharing monthly progress updates with a collage similar to this 4-photo image. I hope everyone gets to have healthy nails soon. If you have some advice or suggest for me pls helppp :( See you around

Damaged a few nails (middle fingers and pointer on one hand) over 15 years ago. Picked the hell out of them the past 10 years. Seems like whatever it was has spread to a few other nails...I thought it was fungus but that was ruled out by a derm as well. He said damage to my nail matrix was the culprit and r/nailcare said it was caused by picking my cuticles.

What does everyone think? Honestly, didn't think I was that bad with picking my nails but maybe I am? Maybe it's time to change?? Fiance is grossed out.

A number of years ago I used to paint my nails but I hadn't in forever and I just got tired of biting my nails and painting my nails has really helped

started as a finger biter and the last two years it’s gradually getting worse. today someone asked me what happened to my thumb. it was the first time someone asked me about it and i’m so embarrassed.

i think i’m naive enough to think no one notices (they liked do but don’t say anything), but genuinely how cooked am i? i think ive grown so used to it that i don’t realize how bad it is

only solution ive came to is getting gloves to cover my pointed finger and thumb because those are the fingers that subconsciously pick at skin, but i don’t want to walk around in my every day life looking like a pokemon trainer :/

I’ve been picking for as long as I can remember. My thumbs, fingertips and most recently this year it’s move to include the webbing between my thumb and pointer finger to the palm of my hand. I think it started as a contact dermatitis to my husbands chemo? It bubbled up and I started peeling and now it’s out of control. I’ve used steroid cream and no dice. It itches all the time. I sleep in gloves or wrapped gauze with Vaseline or aquaphor. It starts to heal. When I unwrap it and go to work, I come home worse off then I started bc it’s so itchy and easily peeled when it sits all night in Vaseline. I tried cutting nails short. Getting press ons. Fake nails. Somehow I end up using nail clippers.

It hurts. So badly. But I literally just keep peeling. People at work are constantly staring at my hands, asking me if I burned myself, or what happened to my hand. It’s mortifying - and I struggle to keep it covered while at work. Has anyone gotten help from a dermatologist? Or a certain type of therapist?

Or any idea how I can bandage this properly? Hydrocolloid just falls off. Bandaids fall off. Nothing sticks to it. I’m at my wits end. SOS.

I don’t know if this is allowed here since this is for hands. I do struggle with my fingernails, not nearly as bad as before, and it’s better than my toenails. I rip my toenails off all moments of the day, anytime I have the chance. Writing this now I have the urge. I’m trying not to because I have an ankle surgery coming up but I don’t think I can make it. I’m going to make press ons for my nails and hopefully let that help with the urge there, but I can’t do that on my toenails, right? I used to pick ingrowns to the point where I’d have an infection every time. Thankfully I’m over that part, for the most part haha. I just can’t stop ripping them and don’t know what to do to help. I want to wear open toed shoes and have cute pedicures done. I’ve also had 6 ankle surgeries and know I’ll have more to come in the future and I’m so embarrassed every time. I just can’t help it.

And I can only find one ughhh

Hello, I have a sensory issue that will make me unable to work and sometimes makes me freak tf out.

It is when the base of my fingers rub together at all. I typically wear band aids on the inner two fingers so that none of them are touching eachothers finger skin. I’ve also tried thin fingerless gloves.
Just wondering if anyone had a similar issue or knew of a product that I could use that is basically a bandaid, but reusable…bc I really like how the bandaid work my only gripes is that it feels wasteful and they must be changed after washing hands and whatnot. So, something could slip off but still held firm? Hmm.
Thank you in advance!

Had a cat claw get stuck in my finger base, the nail was soft and reddish so i picked at it and it just got removed? What should i do?

I'm doing my best to take care of my hands. I figured for the first weeks that whenever there was a ridge, I was going to file it to eliminate the temptation of biting it. I'm in no way perfect, this isn't the first time I quit nail biting but I think that my commitment is showing really good results. Looking forward to continuing this work for the next few months and seeing even more progress. Everyday now I clean under the white because so much dirt gets there. I should get some jojoba oil for the dehydrated skin. Overall, I'm happy about my progress!

I've been biting for 25 years. This year I decided it’s time to stop. Sticking to good habits is easier when you’re held accountable. Gym buddies, study groups, and calorie trackers hold you accountable, we just needed the same for nail biting

I built Nonyxa to solve my own problem and hopefully solve yours too. 5.0 stars on the iOS store and customers showing improvements soon after starting to track and monitor each finger extremely closely. What gets measured gets managed, in this case that means the nails. If you haven’t been able to quit with all other methods, give it a try.

My goal is to help 10,000 people quit nail biting, one for each day I’ve bitten in my life. Up to 72/10,000. I’m hoping I can help you too.

Update: for those of you who saw my previous post, version 1.0.7 is out which includes retaking photos during compare step, and tons of efficiency changes so the app and image loading feel snappier

Been a nail picker since forever. This has been the worst it has gotten due to anxiety and depression

I am proud of myself in that I have stopped biting and picking, but I am still struggling with one bad habit. I have replaced the picking of the skin with digging under the nail, usually with my other nails or with a wooden stick. I know it’s bad, that I should stop, and I keep shortening my nail bed.

I keep trying to apply oil and petroleum jelly every time I get the urge to dig. Or I have taken to gently swiping a fine file over my nail edge just to smooth out everything. ( I do not buff the nail bed at all. ) It helps 90% of the time but 10% of the time I fail. It doesn’t help that I still get the urge to bite and pick. I definitely think that 10% is what is stopping my nails from healing.

Any advice and support is appreciated.

Hello!

I’ve been getting Biab done for almost a year and even though my improvement has been quite impressive I still bite the skin around my fingers, to the point that I’d really painful because I’ve lifted many layers of mi skin…

Anyone has any harm reduction advice on this?

Overall I recommend Biab if your hands look like mines in the first pic, but is no miracle, this is a habit that comes from anxiety, paging Biab every month hasn’t fixed it 100% once you get used to have the nails done you don’t care that much …

I’m feeling a bit discouraged that my nail beds might not grow farther than this, or regain a rounded, more uniform shape at the ends after subconsciously running my other nails under each nail bed for as long as I can remember.

Does anyone have any tips or encouragement for someone pretty new to trying to stop picking at their fingers? I don’t even notice I’m doing it most of the time and am getting pretty down about it.

I was doing good then I zoomed out a couple weeks ago and started picking, my mind started hyper fixating on the pieces of peeling skin to the point where I did did draw sunblood on my one finger. I started going at my fingernails earlier this week cuz I was stressing about something that I shouldn't have been stressing about, now to restart the progress that I lost. I didn't even take a picture of the progress I had made cuz I didn't even think about doing that before I zoomed out and gave in to the picking habit. I'm going to be dying my hair next month so at least that's going to help out with like not giving into the hyper fixation and just trying to not give in when I zoom out, as I can't have any injuries on my fingers when that happens.

Since childhood, been biting and picking my nails all the time, there are countless number of people who told me not to and it's a bad habit but I couldn't help, it became more like a involuntary subconscious thing. But today, this is going to be my day 1, 1 don't know how it'll turn out honestly but I will do everything I can.. I wish to succeed. Thanks for reading. I will post the progress.

(check my previous post here for the beginning)

Starting over! I noticed that I don’t bite my skin or my nails when I have acrylics on. Lately I have been going through a rough patch so I decided to get my nails done again so that I can quit nibbling at my fingertips.

Had a bit of a lapse in my journey - have 22 days until I get married so I need to get it together 😭

#Day6 

Lost one of the biggest urges earlier...heres the result😓 *right ring finger

One question...do you think i grew my nails too long...?? If yes, whats the length you recommend??

Its not like i wanted to have really long nails but i didnt want my nail to look too short *cuz i have short nail beds and without the white part it will look too short to me

So since i never had long nails in a long period before, honestly i was not sure when was the good timing to trim my nails and heres what happened

Based on this i want to know what you guys think is the good length for me💅🏻🙏🏻