Shocking footage shows the reason why you should never bite your nails
Nail biters, we've got some bad news for you – it might be time to quit chewing if the following footage is anything to go by:
Now, most of us who bite our nails (I'm definitely guilty of it from time to time) normally just turn a blind eye to the fact that all kinds of germs accumulate under there.
But this footage, which shows nail clippings under microscope, might just be grim enough to get us to kick the habit.
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The stomach-churning clip shared by TikToker @kurlyheadbriii starts off pretty normal, but right at the end it cuts to a clipping close-up with what appears to be a tiny little bug just crawling over the surface.
Thousands of people have shared their thoughts, with many admitting they were biting their nails while watching the video.
"If I can’t see it it’s not there," joked one, while another quipped, "Extra protein."
Not everyone saw the funny side though, including this person who said: "I am really going to try not to."
Another pointed out that 'not everyone's nail is going to look like that', and they're not wrong – it's not typical to have tiny bugs hiding in your talons.
That being said, it's still a good idea to try and quit the bad habit, as our nails hide all kinds of nasty things you can't see with the naked eye including dust, dirt and bacteria.
TikToker @pdotz, who went into more detail on the topic in a recent video, explained: "Inside your mouth you carry good bacteria and some bad bacteria.
"When you're biting your nails, obviously you use your teeth which is inside your mouth.
"This has some bad bacteria inside of it, which can lead to your nails getting infected."
He continued: "When your nails actually grow back they can grow back the wrong way, and then grow into your skin and then create pus."
Although this is definitely an extreme outcome, it can happen – take it from this woman, who recently shared a photo of a friend's finger that had gone sore and yellow due to an infection caused by nail biting.
The infection was so bad that the person had to be rushed to hospital for emergency surgery as it began travelling up the arm.
Thankfully the person was okay, but they had to be placed on an antibiotic drip.
In the aftermath of the surgery, the OP explained: "Surgery done and on a drip for antibiotics for the next few days and this is how it looks now.
"P.S. minus a nail on that finger which may never grow back but on the plus side one less nail for them to bite."
In short, don't bite your nails if you can avoid it. Cutting them regularly is key, as it reduces the temptation to bite, or you could try coating them in a bitter-tasting polish until you stop going for a chew on autopilot.
Daisy Phillipson