There is no known cure for nail biting. However, it has been suggested that it may be easier to cure nail biting related to a psychiatric problem than to break one that is a habit. The following techniques yield different results. Consistency and determination are required.

Self Check

• Self Check
  
  Self control begins with awareness. To help in his awareness, the nail biter is required to observe and keep a written record of the frequency of his nail biting episodes. Identify and eliminate activities leading to nail biting sessions such as fidgeting and restless fingers.
   
• Aversion
  
  This calls for strategies to discourage the habit. It could mean coating the nails with a bitter substance, wearing gloves, rubber finger thimbles, or other deterrents. However, the disadvantage with this technique is that although it yields quick results, it does not teach the individual to acquire adaptive behaviours so that once the aversive substance is re-moved, the subject resumes his nail biting habit.
   
• Response competition
  
  This technique requires the nail biter to do some physical action whenever he gets the urge to bite his nails. For instance, he can be taught to engage himself in drawing, writing, or some other convenient activity or simply put his hands by his side.
   
• Habit reversal
  
  Probably the most effective technique is to draw up a step-by-step programme to make the individual aware of his habit and then to provide a competing response to interfere with the habit. This would mean combining record keeping, relaxation training (e.g. yoga), and response competition.

A strategy ...

• Determine that you are going to stop biting your nails right now.
• Use a nail biting deterrent lotion and re-apply each time you wash your hands.
• Discipline yourself and avoid playing with your fingers. You must learn to ignore those irritating snags on your nails.
• Always have an emery board with you. As soon as you are aware of a snag in a nail then if you really cannot ignore it then use the emery board just enough to remove the snag. Don't develop a new bad habit and become an obsessive filer.
• After just a few days you should notice that nail snags seem to be less noticeable. This is great progress. Mark this point as now have a chance to grow.
• Old habits die hard. Treat any lapse as a temporary and correctable deviance, not as an excuse to give up. Get right back on track again.