Please recommend NYC nail salon for nail biter

Schmoozer

Wed, May 07 2014, 5:50 pm

Hi all!

This is my first post ever on imamother.

My husband has been suffering from Onychophagia all his life. Oh, that’s more commonly known as “nail biting”. For many many years he has struggled with all deterrent methods, to no avail.

His nails look similar to this picture:
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com.....b.jpg

Recently he became so fed up with the situation, that he decided that he must end this ugly habit once and for all. Doing research on the web, he stumbled upon these YouTube clips, in which acrylic nails are attached to a nail biter.
Acrylic Nails on Nail Biter - Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6Ye4faZaBI

Acrylic Nails on Nail Biter - Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5ypMZ_zmmA

He believes that this will be the right solution to fix up his nails, and to put the habit to an end. So here’s where we need your help. We need recommendations for excellent salons that can do this process (we live in Brooklyn, but anywhere in NYC could be fine), and since it’ll be too embarrassing for my husband to be seen walking into a salon, it needs to be outside of the Jewish community.

If we can get this done, this would mean a world for us, because it will be a major factor in enhancing my husband's quality of life.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Maya

Wed, May 07 2014, 6:29 pm

I haven't watched the video, so I'm sorry if this is not what you're looking for. I'm recommending based on a regular gel manicure.

I have often gone to Iris Nail on 5th Ave by 31st St in Manhattan. They have an upstairs floor which is usually empty.

amother

Wed, May 07 2014, 6:41 pm

I am a nail biter currently in the process of becoming healed of this terrible "habit" (I don't like that word because it is more than just a habit). BH I have made some progress. This post is more for the amother above who also bites her nails, as I cannot recommend a place for you and the fake nails/gel did not work for me, but have worked for many people I know (and I hope this will be the case for you and your husband).

My current plan is to take care of my nails a lot. I give them A LOT of attention. I soak them. Smile at them. Talk to them (you are so pretty today, just wait until tomorrow). I put on cuticle oil & cream & neosporin around the skin. I paint them & coat them. File them & trim them. I just baby them. I have had some setbacks (which hurt but are expected), but BH I feel this method is going to help me.

Maybe try it.

I once heard from a man that he stopped biting his nails because he heard about the inyan to cut them before Shabbos. He so what to be able to do that, so it helped him stop. Maybe this will help your dh?

Hatzlacha to all!

animeme

Wed, May 07 2014, 7:06 pm

Also no practical help re. Salon, but bli ayin hara I have just stopped biting and picking my nails at the age of just below forty. I am almost half a year in now. My nails used to look like that picture. It can be done.

How I did it:
1) the Shabbos thing. I actually made myself a Seder to learn hilchos Shabbos for ten minutes each shabbos. It helped me to remember, on Shabbos itself, how big a deal it was. My first goal was only Shabbos, and it was to stop the second I realized I was doing it. Eventually I was able to stop myself at the beginning. And once you can stop one day a week, you can tackle the other ones with some confidence.

2) My daughter is a nail biter and picker too. We made a pact to work on it together. She isn't doing so well, but I had someone looking up to me and that helped.

3) (This may sound gross.) I let myself pick at my toenails. I wear socks and shoes all day so it's not as big a deal.

4) Gum.

I wish your dh hatzlachah. Fellow quitter above, yasher kochachech! Few people know what a big deal this is.

amother

Thu, May 08 2014, 5:53 am

I think I need a support group...never would have thought that someone's nails could look so much like my own! that picture is like me !

I've tried the nail salon thing and it really worked! but I ran out of money and when the nails grew out and I didn't go back to the salon I ended up biting again....

I really want to do something about this...

SingALong

Thu, May 08 2014, 11:36 am

Acrylic/gel nails make the real nail underneath really weak. I tried them for years to stop my nail biting but as soon as I removed them I went back to biting. It's also hard to get them to look natural without polish. Is your DH ok with going around wearing shiny nail polish?

What worked for me was putting on mavala stop, a bitter nail polish that tastes so awful that it really helps prevent biting. It also doesn't dry that shiny so it doesn't look like the person is wearing polish.

Good luck!

amother

Thu, May 08 2014, 11:38 am

amother wrote:

I am the amother above who is currently pampering my nails with a lot of TLC and attention. Try my suggestions. They are harmless.

You can also try one of these Hair, Skin & Nails vitamins. I do not even know if they help (I'm pretty skeptical of vitamins), but mentally/emotionally taking a vitamin for your nails may help you develop positive feelings about your nails and want to care for them.

Also, my aunt who is a psychologist once told me a very nice tip. I personally do not like restrictions. She said not to tell myself "I am not allowed to bite" or "don't bite," but to encourage yourself with "I'm growing my nails."

Schmoozer

Thu, May 08 2014, 7:31 pm

amother wrote:

Which salon did you use? And how much did the process run into?

Schmoozer

Thu, May 08 2014, 7:33 pm

SingALong wrote:

Acrylic/gel nails make the real nail underneath really weak. I tried them for years to stop my nail biting but as soon as I removed them I went back to biting. It's also hard to get them to look natural without polish. Is your DH ok with going around wearing shiny nail polish?
What worked for me was putting on mavala stop, a bitter nail polish that tastes so awful that it really helps prevent biting. It also doesn't dry that shiny so it doesn't look like the person is wearing polish.
Good luck!

Did you see the videos that I posted above? The nails look pretty natural to me. And do you have any recommendation for a salon?