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February 13, 2020 8:26 pm
Texas Teen Almost Loses Her Fingertip from Biting Her Nails: 'It Kept Getting Worse'
"Take it seriously because it can get a lot worse very quickly," says Lauren Nichols, 18
Lauren Nichols
COURTESY LAUREN NICHOLS
For Lauren Nichols, nail-biting was a lifelong habit that her parents implored her to kick.
Now, after experiencing a health scare brought on by the common tic, the 18-year-old says she’s done chewing her fingernails for good — and she hopes others stop too.
“At first I didn’t think it was anything serious, but it kept getting worse,” Nichols tells PEOPLE of her bout with paronychia, a nail infection caused by trauma to the cuticles.
The Texas college student shared her story in a TikTok video, tracking her left middle finger’s progression from slightly infected to alarmingly inflamed last month. “I almost had to get the tip of my finger amputated because I bite my nails,” she said in the video.
“plz watch… it could save your finger’s life ?,” she captioned the post, which has been viewed more than 2 million times and garnered some 20,000 comments.
When the problem area around her finger nail grew and became painful, Nichols booked a doctor’s appointment, where she was prescribed antibiotics to treat the infection. Days later, the medication didn’t make much of a difference, and surgery became necessary.
RELATED: TikTok Star Avoids Skin Cancer Scare After Followers Notice His Irregular Mole
COURTESY LAUREN NICHOLS
COURTESY LAUREN NICHOLS
COURTESY LAUREN NICHOLS
COURTESY LAUREN NICHOLS
Since having the growth removed, Nichols says she’s happy to have her digits back to normal, even if she still has to fight the desire to resume biting them.
“It’s good now, my finger looks a little weird but it healed fine,” she says, adding that she purchased a fidget toy to channel her nervousness and replace the old habit. “I’ve always been a more anxious person, and [nail-biting] is one of the ways I’ve coped.”
When she gets the impulse to chew her nails now, she reminds herself of the panicked hospital visits and painful fingertips to curb the urge.
“It’s still kind of tender to the touch, so if I ever start trying to bite my nails or think about it, it’s still there as a reminder to not,” says Nichols. “I definitely still think about it, but I’ve stopped myself many times because that was not a fun experience.
As for the viral TikTok that resonated with so many, Nichols isn’t sure why it caught on so strongly (she says has “funnier ones” she wishes trended as much). She says people even recognize her from the video, which she made on a random morning at 3 a.m.
“Most people found out primarily through the TikTok and now people recognize me from it and they’re like, ‘Ew, that’s so gross!'” she jokes. “I had no idea this would blow up.”
Her guess is that it’s a “relatable” subject. In fact, an estimated 20 to 30 percent of people across all age groups habitually bite their nails, according to the National Institutes of Health, which notes that the practice can lead to oral conditions as well.
“Just because it hasn’t happened before, doesn’t mean it can’t happen to you. I’d been doing it for years and this is the first time I had serious consequences,” Nichols says. “If you do get paronychia, take it seriously because it can get a lot worse very quickly.”
February 16, 2020 5:08 pm
I used to bite my nails when I was younger but I haven't done it in years. I don't think people take nail infections/issues very serious. It's gross to thing what you could be putting in your mouth or what you could be exposing your body to by biting off a small amount of nail.
Lindsey Cogan and Lindsey Cogan reacted
February 17, 2020 12:19 am
WOW! As a mother, I can imagine a child not mentioning an infection like that to their parent and letting it get that bad. That's a scary thought. I make my oldest clip his nails even though he doesn't bite them because of the germs that can collect under them. I clip my other son's nails because he will bite them. My only thought was the germs going into his mouth. I never thought of the germs entering the broken skin.
February 17, 2020 12:21 am
@mikaylaalleniectskin-com I'm a former nail bitter too. I stopped when I started to care if boys liked me.
February 17, 2020 11:18 am
I used to bite my nails all the time it was so bad! My mom used to get so frustrated with me because I would bite them down to the nub she even would try putting on the sour apple nail polish and that didn't work. I would bite them as an anxiety thing anytime I was anxious or nervous I would bite my nails just out of a habit. Somewhere around like 14 I started to get acrylics which stopped me right away because I'd go to bite and I'd bite hard artificial nail! Even to this day from time to time I will bite my nails but it is definitely not as much as I used too. Also, in cosmetology we had a nail course where we learned all about the nail and all the nasty germs we carry under our nails! And to think you're putting that in your mouth. Gross.
February 22, 2020 10:09 pm
As i'm reading this article, and looking at the pictures, it reminded my of my sons recent incident that looked quite similar to the pictures, minus the big purple one! lol. I just talked to him about this, and he said that it wasn't because he bites his nail, that caused the infection. He believed it happened from an injury, which was true. I had to explain, how bacteria entered in the wound, and caused the infection. However, he is a nail biter too! So Lindsey, yes, there are kids out there that may wait to show their parents, but, I wasn't overly alarmed. I did some simple first aid, for a few days, and allowed it to heal.
February 25, 2020 5:08 pm
I feel like this is everything my parents said would happen if I continued to bite my nails as a child. I know I would at times, maybe as more of a nervous habit, but definitely not to this extent. Even as a child, I liked to have my nails painted by my mom who wouldn't hesitate to remind me that if there was no nail to paint, it wasn't her fault. As a parent myself, the physical results are terrifying and that's not even considering the bacteria and infection you're subjected to putting IN YOUR MOUTH. I am definitely with Mikayla, I don't think that people really consider the full spectrum of exposure your hands have.
February 25, 2020 5:10 pm
@gabriellemrasiectskin-com exactly! Acrylics or that Sally Hansen nail polish that is purposely disgusting to keep you from biting your nails. But all in all I think I just cared about how the looked more than anything.
Topic starter
March 2, 2020 4:29 pm
I did not bite my nails bi=ut I picked at the cuticle. They would bleed and be painful. I found that I picked from stress. It has been hard to stop because of its automatic response to stressful situations.
Francesca, when I have shellac or another gel on my nails I do not pick at all
August 15, 2022 1:37 pm
I have always had a horrible habit of biting my nails. I know it's disgusting and I know that we have tons of bacteria on and under our nails but when I'm anxious I don't even realize I'm doing it sometimes. I have tried various different methods to try and break the habit but I always go back to it.
August 15, 2022 1:38 pm
@deborah I don't pick at the cuticle but I do pick at the skin that surrounds my fingers.
August 15, 2022 2:04 pm
I used to bite off my acrylics when I couldn't stand them anymore and I know thats gross because they used to get food and literally anything under them.
August 15, 2022 2:04 pm
My husband has a horrible nail biting habit. I have noticed that he does this when he's watching tv, or playing a videogame... sometimes he doesn't even know he's doing it. Luckly, he's never had an infection from doing it so that is good! I will make sure to get on him every time I see him bitting his nails so no infection occurs.
August 15, 2022 2:05 pm
My husband has a horrible nail biting habit. I have noticed that he does this when he's watching tv, or playing a videogame... sometimes he doesn't even know he's doing it. Luckly, he's never had an infection from doing it so that is good! I will make sure to get on him every time I see him bitting his nails so no infection occurs.
August 15, 2022 2:05 pm
@laurenjohnsoniectskin-com I dont bite my nails much but when i have hang nails i do tend to bite them . Its a horrible habit but they can be so painful.
August 15, 2022 2:12 pm
I bite my nails constantly and sometimes I do it without even realizing i'm doing it. I use to get acrylic nails to prevent me from biting my real nails and I would end up biting the acrylic nails as well. I don't think I bite them to the point where I can get an infection, but things happen so I should probably stop.
August 15, 2022 2:13 pm
@abigailcochraneiectskin-com I still bite them off even though it's not very sanitary
August 15, 2022 2:19 pm
@keyonnastarksiectskin-com I also would bite off my acrylics especially when they started growing out. When they started growing out and i could bite the sides i would bite them till the acrylic nail popped off.
August 15, 2022 2:36 pm
@abigailcochraneiectskin-com I tried doing that, but it would hurt so bad! Now I use my nail clippers and it works a little better. Still hurts though.
August 16, 2022 1:31 pm
Its a hard habit to break. I pick at my cuticles and I am not aware like you until it hurts and /or bleeds. I have picked since I was a little girl. I am fine when I have Shellac on because it does not feel the same. When I had tips I did not pick either. Infections are very common especially if the clippers are dirty. At nail salons if they cut my cuticle and it bled I was quite upset
August 16, 2022 1:34 pm
I make sure to disinfect the clippers before and clean it after as well. I usually end up bleeding anyway! Of course we know any open break in the skin can let germs in so then I blue light my finger
August 16, 2022 1:36 pm
I never tried to get them off as it hurt too much but my nails were a mess when I had to take them off. Any way its not a good habit as you can chip a tooth as well
August 16, 2022 1:40 pm
Yes often our partners think its nagging but your looking out for them. My husband tells me every time he sees me picking and says "your Picking" It does stop me for a while. I am more aware of picking the cuticles and sides of the nail bed.
August 30, 2022 4:47 pm
I used to bite my nails when I was a kid, I don't do it as bad now but I do bite the skin around my nails. My sister used to bite her nails so bad the quick.
August 30, 2022 4:49 pm
@abigailcochraneiectskin-com As soon as my acrylics would grow out or when a corner would come up just enough to get my hair caught I would bite them off and I wouldn't stop until they were all off.
August 30, 2022 4:51 pm
@mikaylaalleniectskin-com I don't think people realize what could happen if they got an infection either. Your hands are gross and are constantly touching surfaces that probably arent the cleanest. I know a lot of people don't even think about what they touched before they stick their hands in their mouths.
December 24, 2022 11:40 pm
I recently just stopped biting my nails and I opted for getting dip powder manicures because "they say" it is the least damaging for your nail bed. I don't know if that is 100% true but I have seen the health in my nails get a lot better. It eliminated the accessibility of me biting my nails.
December 24, 2022 11:49 pm
@deborah When I recently started getting dip powder manicures I did get more hangnails off the base of my cuticle and I still have that urge to bite them off.
December 25, 2022 12:19 am
@marlimartiniectskin-com I notice my boyfriend will bite his nails when he's anxious because of his job, I try to remind him all the time it's not good to bite his nails but I know it brings him some sort of relief and I just don't know how to balance that part.
December 27, 2022 10:24 am
@abigailcochraneiectskin-com I used to do the same exact thing. The longer my nails were the more I would bite my nails. I eventually just stopped getting long nails.
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