Yes, yes, we all know nail biting is a particularly bad habit. But did you know there are genuine health reasons why you should stop?
If gnawing on your nails is a regular (or unconscious) occurrence for you, then a video recently shared on social media might leave your stomach churning.
The viral clip shared by TikToker @kurlyheadbriii shares footage of nail clippings being viewed under a microscope. And what appears might just be grim enough to get you to kick the habit.
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The nails don’t look particularly pleasant close up, but it gets even worse when right at the end you get a close-up of what appears to be a tiny bug crawling over the surface.
“Not me biting my nails while watching this,” one person commented on the video, which clearly left plenty of others shocked.
“If I can’t see it it’s not there,” another said, while another quipped: “Extra protein.”
“I am really going to try not to,” another person promised.
Studies have revealed that our nails are not only housing germs, but they’re even creating them. Although your hands may feel cold and dry, your nail beds are actually warm and moist.
Which is where the bugs can come in, according to Dr. Carl Edwards. “Bugs that live in the gut for example are designed to survive in a warm wet environment, such as under fingernails,” he told Bustle.
Of course, as some people pointed out ’not everyone’s nail is going to look like that’ – but you’ve been warned.
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Aside from bugs, you also put yourself at risk of nasty infections, as fellow TikToker @pdotz, shared in a previous video.
“Inside your mouth you carry good bacteria and some bad bacteria. When you’re biting your nails, obviously you use your teeth which is inside your mouth.
“This has some bad bacteria inside of it, which can lead to your nails getting infected.
“When your nails actually grow back they can grow back the wrong way, and then grow into your skin and then create pus.”
You can watch the videos above. (If you dare)
Michael Shapiro, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Vanguard Dermatology in New York City recently told Shape nail biters are particularly susceptible to paronychia, a skin infection that occurs around your nails.
“Your fingernails are almost twice as dirty as your fingers. Bacteria often gets stuck under the nails, and can then be transferred to the mouth, causing infections of the gums and throat,” he said.
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