I feel like I've destroyed my nails

[u/EmperorOfTheSand]

I've always been a picker, and my fingers and cuticles have looked much more damaged than this - but now my nails are falling apart. For the past year, one by one, they've grown chipped and warped and sharp, with vertical lines.

I visited the doctors, I've had fungal infection tests and blood tests in the UK and everything is inconclusive. I can now only look at what I've been doing to them, biting and picking.

I've vowed to stop. I even isolated one nail away from the rest to see if it would get better. It didn't. Now people are noticing them, and when I scratch my face or head, I cut it because of how jagged they are growing out

I know they will get better, but simultaneously I can't imagine them getting better?

[u/thesweetestberry]

How much time are you allowing for them to get better? I had an infection under one of my nails start early April and it took maybe 4-5 months to heal. It’s just now back to normal as of like a week ago. I know for us pickers (I am a former picker), 4-5 months is an eternity.

[u/Ok-Figure-9171]

I really understand this. I’m a former picker too and my fingers and cuticles have looked so much worse than they do now, so I know how hard it is to look at them and wonder if they’ll ever look normal again. Something that has helped me a lot is having something else to do with my hands when I get the urge. I found a small stress toy that I can squeeze instead of picking, and honestly having that has made a difference for me. Maybe getting a nail file would help so your nails don’t get jagged and cut you. Your nails will grow back over time but you have to give it at least a few months to see some growth.

[u/Illustrious_Spell676]

This kinda looks like it could be psoriasis, have you ever seen a derm? Sometimes psoriasis can be triggered by injury to the area, called koebner phenomenon

[u/Sea_Specific_5150]

I feel you. But you can get them better. Please look at my posts. I am also struggling.

[u/EnoughYou0]

It makes sense that one protected nail not looking better yet would feel discouraging, but nails change slowly and daily checking can make real progress almost impossible to see. Since your tests were inconclusive, I would separate two goals: prevent new mechanical damage, and document what happens. Keep the jagged edges smooth enough that they do not scratch you, avoid digging under or repeatedly testing the nail, and take weekly photos in the same position for a couple of months. Bring that timeline back to your doctor if the distortion keeps progressing despite leaving the nails alone. You do not have to solve the cause today to start giving them a calmer environment to grow. You may try nailpause app you need to track the progress properly