Also, the bacteria that is on your fingers or nails can linger in your mouth and cause halitosis, or bad breath. Hangnails are open sores that can easily become infected. The best way to avoid the painful sores is to prevent the hangnail from forming in the first place by moisturizing regularly—and not chewing on your fingers. Most ingrown nails occur on the toenails, but biting your nails can cause your nails to grow under your skin in your fingers too.
Ingrown nails can cause pain and swelling and potentially lead to infection and require surgery. Regular nail polishes have plenty of toxins themselves, but gel polishes have chemicals that can be harmful when ingested. Media contact: Dee Dee Grays , Facebook 0 Tweet 0. Author Details. Tears or abrasions in the skin of your fingertips allow strains of bacteria or yeast to get inside.
Both cause swelling, redness, and a buildup of puss around and under the nail, which has to be drained surgically and treated with antibiotics or antifungal agents, he explains. If the infection is bacterial, the nail can also become tender and painful. After infecting the fingers, these warts can then spread to your mouth and lips, Adigun adds. The perils of nail biting also extend to your teeth.
Biters also suffer from higher rates of gum disease and infection, he adds. So how do you quit the habit?
Normal hangnails are painful but have you ever had one that became infected? It'll have you typing with your knuckles. And if you get really aggressive, gnawing on your cuticles or biting your nails to the quick, you can open up small sores on your fingers or cuticles, allowing dangerous bacteria to get inside and cause them to become infected.
Prevention is your best defense against hangnails so moisturizing regularly can help, she adds. It's not just bacteria that are a potential problem. Nail biting also increases your risk of getting viruses.
Nail art is a huge trend in the beauty world right now but all that gel, glitter, jewels, dip powder, and holographic polish are concerning for nail biters because, you know, you're basically eating them, says Dr. It may take a long time to build up a toxic level in your system, but do you really want to take that chance? Until you quit your nail-biting habit, use try these clean nail polish brands free of formaldehyde and other harmful ingredients. Facial warts aren't just for wicked witches: Warts on your fingers are caused by the human papillomavirus or HPV, and nibbling your nails can spread that virus to your other fingers, your face, your mouth, and even your lips, explains Dr.
There's a fungus among us? There's nothing cute about fungi on your fingertips. He says that chewing your nails can allow yeast, fungi, and other microorganisms to set up shop under and around your nails, leading to swelling, redness, and even oozing pus.
Biting isn't just bad for your fingers, it's also bad for your teeth. Nail gnawing not only ruins your manicure but can make your actual nails look pretty rough—and we're not just talking about the stubby, ragged edges. Constantly biting your nails puts pressure on the nail wall which, over time, can actually change the shape or curvature of your nails, says Dr.
You could cause them to grow in unevenly or with bumpy ridges, she says. Most of us are familiar with ingrown nails on our toes but did you know that biting your nails can lead you to get them on your fingers as well?
Worst-case scenario, ingrown nails can get so bad they cause infection and can even require surgery, says Dr. Best case, you still get all the swelling, redness, and pain you know and loathe while you wait for them to grow out. For all of those not-so-pretty physical side effects of nail-biting, the bad habit can also impact you psychologically. Here are some of the ways biting your nails can affect your mental health:.
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