Onychophagia, habitual nail-biting, is a common disorder affecting 6–45% of the population and is more prevalent among children. According to a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, behavioral patterns and familial, psychiatric, and other factors were associated with pediatric nail-biting. A voluntary survey involving 281 patients (3-21 years old) was conducted. According to the study, 37% of patients showed a permanent past or present nail-biting for more than a month.
Similarly, the median age of onset was five years (range 1-13 years). Moreover, a significantly higher percentage of biters (18%; 19/104) were diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder when compared with non-biters (6%; 11/177) (p < 0.01). Also, concurrent fingernail and toenail involvement among biters was much less common (12%; 12/104) when compared with fingernails alone (88%; 92/104).…
