Orly No Bite
This is one of the few products I've ever read about in a magazine and then sought out immediately for purchase. I don't recall the publication, but I do know that it was several years ago and I had to search high and low to find it.
No Bite is "a bitter flavored nail bite deterrent that helps break the annoying and often painful nail biting habit." I used it more for my cuticles than my nails, but the idea is the same. It looks like nail polish, and it smells (and tastes) like nail polish remover. Once you paint it on it seems to disappear, but then later when you mindlessly slip your finger in between your teeth you're greeted with a disgustingly awful flavor. The aversion therapy worked so effectively for me that I still have a pretty full bottle of the stuff. A little goes a long way.
My fiance, who wears fake nails specifically to avoid biting her real ones, says that a similar product didn't work for her. She must have had a powerful compulsion, because I can't imagine fighting past the flavor of No Bite. In fact the only problem I had was accidentally tasting it on my fingers while eating. Use of a fork would pretty much solve that problem.
Available from Amazon
Manufactured by Orly
Favorite (15)
franz dibbler
I bit my nail to the nubs for almost 30 years and tried similar products. I developed immunity to the bitter taste of these products but they may help a teen with a new bad habit. What worked for me is to use a file and make every edge absolutely smooth. It seems to remove the cue to "clean it up with my teeth".
Brian
Great product. I use it a lot.
-Brian
Michael
I liked the flavor, Sucks to be me.
George Cochrane
I can't help but think of a certain incredulous owl picture when I read about this product... "ORLY?"
ttf
This is a tool?
You are going to have to review a number things with large sharp blades to keep me reading this blog.
When I was six, my grandmother told me I would get worms from bitting my nails. I got over it real fast.
Chris
Agreed, George. YA RLY.
Gabe
My parents tried a similar product when I was a child. Didn't work --I kept chewing my nails despite the bitter taste.
I did stop biting my nails in my early 20s... Just willpower.
aldo
I've also bitten my nails for almost 30 years. These never really stopped me.
I've done alot better recently, because I use clippers to trim them before they get long enough so that I want to bite them. They are always basically super short now, but at least not ugly nail-bitten short.
Adam R
As a biter of over thirty years can I recommend komboloi? Having something to fiddle with instead of my nails has helped me break the back of my compulsion. I always found that paint ons only worked for a while. I agree with Franz, using a fine board to smooth away rough edges also helps reduce the impulse to chew.