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Dermatophagia. Dermatophagia (from Ancient Greek δέρμα — lit. skin and φαγεία lit. eating) or dermatodaxia (from δήξις, lit. biting) [3] is a compulsion disorder of gnawing or biting one's own skin, most commonly at the fingers. This action can either be conscious or unconscious [4] and it is considered to be a type of pica.
Nail biting, also known as onychophagy or onychophagia, is an oral compulsive habit of biting one's fingernails. It is sometimes described as a parafunctional activity, the common use of the mouth for an activity other than speaking, eating, or drinking.
Onychophagia, or nail biting, is a pretty common habit, affecting an estimated 20 to 30 percent of the population.
Paronychia is an inflammation of the skin around the nail, which can occur suddenly, when it is usually due to the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, or gradually when it is commonly caused by the fungus Candida albicans. [2] [3] [4] The term is from Greek: παρωνυχία from para 'around', onyx 'nail', and the abstract noun suffix -ia.
The problem doesn't stop at nails, either. Habitual nail-biters often chomp on the skin around their fingers, too, leaving open cuts and abrasions that could easily pick up even more bacteria or ...
This research may offer relief for people with repetitive body-focused behaviors — such as skin picking and hair pulling — that can affect their mental health.
Fragile or poorly formed fingernails with vertical striations (as distinct from nail biting). The malformed nails often have V-shaped nicks at the edge of the nail.
Onychotillomania is a compulsive behavior in which a person picks constantly at the nails or tries to tear them off. [1] It is not the same as onychophagia, where the nails are bitten or chewed, or dermatillomania, where skin is bitten or scratched.