It seems that my previous post about nail biting is the shining star on this blog. I understand there are some ghastly stories that would make any normal internet user shy away in dismay, but I had no idea it would be the nail biting entry that was the most popular. Well I intended to make the nail biting entries regular, however I concluded there just really wasn’t too much good stuff I could add other than pictures of my hands. But I have received some great comments and some pictures related to the first one which I think need to be addressed as well as the progress with my own nails.
So to catch you up with my nails from the last entry. In a blazing glory of programming debauchery one night working on my pet project www.roachclipradio.com, I destroyed everyone of my lovely long nails. Have you ever been away from your home for months at a time and you come back and have that hamburger or burrito you have been craving? Have you ever masterbated 9 times in a day knowing you shouldn’t but it just seems right at the time? Well that’s pretty much how it felt biting the nails. Damn it was good. So I failed but then I ran into this rather tantalizing chica who shamed me for my nails. My aunt always told me that it would be a girl to make me stop biting your nails. She might be right. So I stopped again around the beginning of March.
This commenter mentions how you need to be proud of your nails or at least not care about what other people think. I agree with that to a point but to us biters, it doesn’t seem so bad. But imagine yourself walking down the beach and you saw this girl itching her calf to a nub. It owuld gross you out. Its a matter of perspective.
“Luke, as a severe nail-biter who tried everything to stop, I finally learned to accept the habit as part of who I am. I went to a shrink in my 20s who said I fall into a statistical subgroup of men world-wide-about 10%-who are chronic nail biters and not to worry if I can’t stop. When I stopped worrying I felt better about myself. I know it is not a pretty or sanitary habit, but I am not ashamed to bite my nails any time, even in public. I’m also a family and career man. Hope you are successful in your efforts. If not, learn to accept and enjoy the habit. I know that sounds crazy, but it’s not.”
This girl also instructed me on a new method that I have been employing to help the nails grow. One of my complaints before was the fact that my long nails would break easily and get to the point I just had to bite them to straighten thins out. Well this is because the nail bed is so short for me. So the plan is to grow the nail bed out by keeping the nails cliped short all the time, and only leaving a
small amount of white nail in front of the skin. My theory is eventually the bed will grow to the end of the nail like most people have. The only problem with this is that you tend to be taking care of your nails a lot to keep them at this length. But all an all, I am happy with the results and my pinky nail is looking superb, I must say.
So when the urge gets strong, I bust out my nail tool set shown here. This has all you need to get the nails going as well as a way to distract yourself from some more biting. Let me give you a run down of how I use this mess.
1) Use the moisturizer and rub it into your nails well over the back of the nail and let sit.
2) Take the little blunt edged poker thing and start pushing against the back of the nails where it turns into skin. With soft hands you can actually see the movement very clearly.
3) Lotion again.
4) Take that same prodder thing and try to scrape up anything on the nail that is not part of the nail surface like some thin clear strip or white stip. These wills tart to peel up if you are doing it right.
5) Now take the thing that has a two pronged spoon at the end which is very sharp. This can be used to cut off any loose skin that you have pulled back, its obvious the skin that will come off. Learn the hardway. Also remove any of that clear/white stuff.
6) Use the nail clippers to cut to a good length. I find this hard when i got to cut the nails on my right hand, but it just takes practice. Be sure to not cut to short and if you have sharp parts dont worry, the next step helps that.
7) use the file and dont get carried away. You normally only need a little bit to get the nail smooth.
8) Apply the nail strengthening stuff on in two layers. This stuff is cool but once you have some sharp nails, it is kind of fun to pick at the little rubbery layer it leaves on your nails. Good incentive to get to this point.
The other comment I thought was rather interesting but it goes against my general attitude toward life right now. There should be nothing you just cannot do even for physiological or psychological reasons. For that, I must endeavour to conquer this beast, if anything, to prove I can beat the statistics.
“Luke, as a severe nail-biter who tried everything to stop, I finally learned to accept the habit as part of who I am. I went to a shrink in my 20s who said I fall into a statistical subgroup of men world-wide-about 10%-who are chronic nail biters and not to worry if I can’t stop. When I stopped worrying I felt better about myself. I know it is not a pretty or sanitary habit, but I am not ashamed to bite my nails any time, even in public. I’m also a family and career man. Hope you are successful in your efforts. If not, learn to accept and enjoy the habit. I know that sounds crazy, but it’s not.”
I recently took down right pointer finger. Terrible writing session on the computer. I have determined it is on the computer that I get away with complete nail destruction. The rest of the time I just take tiny skin nibbles but never ruin the integrity of the burgeoning nail. Not sure what I do about that since I am on the computer a lot. Maybe I need to start chewing gum or something.
Fotos on the next post…