From Nail Biting to Nail Restoration: A Client’s Journey at Atelier Anaiis
Not many women see a nail salon as a place to heal from the chronic habit of nail biting. Most nail salons treat raw, short, bitten nails as something to paper over with nail polish.
Treating the effects of nail biting are outside their definitions of what a “manicure” is and it’s too complicated and daunting a task for the majority of nail technicians to begin with, so they say nothing and quickly give a surface-level makeover, keeping the door firmly shut on the opportunity to change the client’s life through thoughtful nail care.
Chronic nail biting is a habit that has serious repercussions for both nail health and self-image. And unfortunately, once the habit takes root, it often resembles a runaway train: from quickly losing the strength and integrity of the natural nail, the color and appearance of the finger tips turning a bruised pink and raw, to having daily anxiety from witnessing the issue spread before your very eyes, the consequences of nail biting are fast, furious, and seemingly unstoppable.
That is, until the habit finally arrives at our Philadelphia nail salon. At Atelier Anaiis, we have the privilege of being a restorative space focused on nail health, far removed from the stereotypical definitions of a “nail salon”.
Through our top-rated manicures, we not only beautify the nail, but help resolve nail problems – and nail biting is one of the most common that we encounter – that clients have been struggling with for a long time.
Because we believe that beauty without health is not actually beauty at all. This is how we are actively redefining the definition of the word “manicure” at our Philadelphia nail salon.
The Starting Point — A Client at the End of the Road
When we first read Devin’s (a name we’ve altered to protect their identity) intake form submission for an appointment at our Philadelphia nail salon, we could almost hear their pain.
They described being at the end of a long road — trying to put an end to their nail-biting habit, an anxiety-driven road that had brought not only discomfort and pain but also embarrassment and a loss of hope in ever restoring their natural nails to the state they once were in.
They weren’t sure if we could help. They believed their natural nails were in such poor condition that they were beyond repair. They even assured us they wouldn’t be offended if we told them there was nothing we could do. They seemed resigned to that fate.
This is the picture of their nails that Devin sent with their intake form. There were four key observations when we studied it for the first time.
Immediately, our eyes were drawn to the fingertips, which appeared particularly pronounced — almost as if they were taking over the space the nail tips should have been covering. This was the first visible sign of the bodily consequences of nail biting: the hyponychium — the skin beneath the nail tips that protect from bacteria — had detached and become exposed.
Next, we noted the extreme shortness of the nails. The nail plates appeared thinned out, with the tips especially damaged.
We then noticed the proliferation of hangnails, visible around every nail bed but most prominently on the index finger.
Finally, when we zoomed in, we saw that the eponychium — the origin of the natural nail — was overgrown. In this photo, the lunula, the half-moon just below the eponychium, cannot be seen because the eponychium now covers it. We see this often in nail-biting cases, as the body tries to protect itself by overcompensating through eponychium overgrowth.
Devin had tried hand creams and oils before coming to us, but without addressing the underlying pattern, these measures offered little improvement.
The Atelier Anaiis Approach — Bespoke, Individualized Care
Devin’s story mirrors what we see often: the same outward signs of a habit that thousands share, yet the reasons — and the recovery — being deeply personal.
The difference between the symptoms and the steps toward healing lie in the individuality of the person behind it, and the unique characteristics of their natural nails. That’s why our work at Atelier Anaiis never begins with a standardized prescription, but with observation and communication, to adjust and customize every part of our Nail Care Program for each client.
“Bespoke” and “individualized” aren’t words that are commonly associated with nail salons – establishments that typically rely on cookie-cutter, surface-level processes that are the same for all clients for the quickest turnaround. Speed is the name of the game for the majority of the nail industry and conversation that is relevant to the client’s nail health is virtually non-existent.
At Atelier Anaiis, our conversations with each client about their previous nail salon experiences and their lived sensations of their nail damages are invaluable to us because here, “care” is inclusive of “comfort”. Based on these conversations, we design a routine that matches your lifestyle and rhythm — whether that means longer intervals between appointments for recovery or shorter curing times in the LED lamp each visit.
This is what we mean by bespoke care. It’s not indulgence; it’s necessity.
Because what helps one client rebuild their nails may overwhelm another — as nail health is not just physical, but behavioral, emotional, and environmental.
The Healing Process — Three Appointments, Lasting Change
Three appointments — that’s all it took for us, Devin and Atelier Anaiis as a team, to transform years of nail biting into healthy, confident hands. A true team effort was required, because no matter how refined the nail care, it would have been for nothing had Devin not consciously stepped out of the nail-biting habit loop.
On the flip side, had Devin not seen improvements immediately after the first appointment at our Philadelphia nail salon, their motivation to continue might have faded. So we don’t use the phrase team effort lightly here.
Before the First Appointment
As a refresher, this photo shows the brittle nail tips, extreme shortness of the nail beds, hangnails, detached hynonychium, and overgrown eponychium — all before any work at Atelier Anaiis.
After the First Appointment
For the first appointment, we treated the hangnails, gently filed the nail tips — since their nails were already short, we did not trim — cleaned the nail walls, and reshaped the eponychium.
The nude gel polish here embodies our philosophy of a gel manicure as protection. Because of the state the natural nails were in, they required protection as the body recalibrated and healthier regrowth began.
We scheduled the next appointment four weeks later — an undisturbed interval that allowed Devin’s nails to reshape and regrow. The time between appointments is a crucial detail: long enough for the nails to shed parts of their damage without reaching a length that could lead to breakage. By “shed,” we mean the compromised parts of the nail bed grow out to become the nail tips, allowing them to be safely trimmed at the following appointment.
Beginning of the Second Appointment
When Devin returned four weeks later for the second appointment, we saw a vast improvement. Two things stood out immediately, that can be seen in the photo above: the gel layer had done its job protecting the natural nails all four weeks, and Devin had stepped fully out of the nail-biting habit. We could confirm this because, had they bitten their nails, the gel layer would not have remained intact.
Devin’s body reacted well to our Nail Care Process; the remaining damage was concentrated at the tips, and the color had already improved. The eponychium — the origin of the nails — had regrown to a much healthier amount, no longer crowding the nail bed as before.
Amazingly, we saw no hangnails.
After the Second Appointment
The difference in the hyponychium compared with the first appointment was remarkable. Through Nail Care, the hyponychium — the skin beneath the nail tips — had begun to reattach, and the swelling visible during the first appointment had receded.
The right hand — shown at the left in this photo — displayed a noticeably longer nail bed. This serves as a great visual example of how different rates of growth exist not only between individuals but even between the different hands of one client.
Beginning of the Third Appointment
Our client deserved much praise at the beginning of the third appointment — it had been eight weeks since they had stepped out of the nail-biting habit. The cycle of seeing visible improvement in nail health proved to be a powerful motivator.
After Soaking Off Polish and Cleaning Nail Walls
We’re fairly even-keeled here at Atelier Anaiis, but transformations like this make us jump out of our seats in excitement. This is night and day from the first appointment. In just eight weeks — three appointments — Devin’s hands were unrecognizable. In their own words: “I can’t believe these are my hands.”
The nail damage had been shed, hangnails were reduced, the color had returned to a healthy pink, the nail tips now extended beyond the hyponychium, and the eponychium was beautifully reshaped.
The Result — Confidence, Comfort, and Calm
By the end of the third appointment, the transformation was no longer just visible — it was felt. Devin’s hands no longer bore the raw tenderness that once accompanied every movement. The nails had lengthened and strengthened, but more importantly, they had become a source of calm rather than anxiety.
When their hands came into Devin’s view, they no longer saw anything to hide. That shift — from embarrassment and self-consciousness to quiet pride — is what we consider the pinnacle of our work at Atelier Anaiis.
It isn’t the shine of the gel polish or the length of the nail that matters most, but the sense of ease that emerges when nail care and confidence finally meet.
For Devin, who continues to be a regular client at our Philadelphia nail salon, the act of biting nails has been replaced by the ritual of care — each appointment a reminder that patience can create beauty, and gentleness can create strength. For us, this is what true nail care represents: clients inspiring themselves by rising from imperfections.
Begin Your Own Nail Care Journey
If you’ve been searching for a way to heal your natural nails after years of nail biting, we invite you to begin your own restorative journey with us. Start by completing our short appointment questionnaire — it’s the first step toward understanding what your nails need to regrow, reshape, and recover.
At Atelier Anaiis, we believe healthy, beautiful nails are a reflection of purposeful nail care — and the beginning of confidence you can carry every day.
