Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Those affected with dermatophagia typically bite the skin around the nails, leading to bleeding and discoloration over time. Some people also bite on their skin on their finger knuckles which can lead to pain and bleeding just by moving their fingers.
Biting your nails is no picnic for your teeth, either. "Constant biting can lead to poor dental occlusion," says Richard Scher, M.D., an expert in nail disorders, "so the biter's teeth...
Biting nails can lead to broken skin on the cuticle. When cuticles are improperly removed, they are susceptible to microbial and viral infections such as paronychia. Saliva may then redden and infect the skin. In rare cases, fingernails may become severely deformed after years of nail biting due to the destruction of the nail bed.
Severe cases of excoriation disorder can cause life-threatening injuries. For example, in one reported case, a woman picked a hole through the bridge of her nose, which required surgery to fix, and a 48-year-old woman picked through the skin on her neck, exposing the carotid artery.
How do you stop biting your nails? An approach called habit replacement could help nail biters quit. It could also help with skin picking and trichotillomania.
Paronychia is an inflammation of the skin around the nail, which can occur suddenly (acute), when it is usually due to the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, or gradually (chronic) when it is commonly caused by Candida albicans.
For premium support please call: 800-290-4726 more ways to reach us
Onychotillomania is a compulsive behavior in which a person picks constantly at the nails or tries to tear them off. It is not the same as onychophagia, where the nails are bitten or chewed, or dermatillomania, where skin is bitten or scratched.
The main BFRB disorders are: Skin Dermatillomania (excoriation disorder), skin picking; Dermatophagia, skin nibbling; Mouth Morsicatio buccarum, cheek biting; Morsicatio labiorum, inner lip biting; Morsicatio linguarum, tongue biting; Nails Onychophagia, nail biting; Onychotillomania, nail picking; Nose Rhinotillexomania, compulsive nose ...
This research may offer relief for people with repetitive body-focused behaviors — such as skin picking and hair pulling — that can affect their mental health.