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. Onychotillomania can be categorized as a
body-focused repetitive behavior in the
DSM-5 and is a form of
skin picking, also known as
excorciation disorder.
It can be associated with psychiatric disorders such as depressive neurosis, delusions of infestation[2] and
hypochondriasis.[3]
It was named by Jan Alkiewicz, a Polish dermatologist.[4]
One cheap solution suggested by researchers is to cover the proximal nail fold with a
Cyanoacrylate glue. "The mechanism of action for improvement is probably related to the presence of an obstacle to picking."[8]
^Baran R (1990). "Nail biting and picking as a possible cause of longitudinal melanonychia. A study of 6 cases". Dermatologica. 181 (2): 126–8.
doi:
10.1159/000247900.
PMID2242780.