The Bad Hygiene Habit Princess Diana Was 'So Proud' Of Kicking

Once upon a time, Diana, Princess of Wales, was convinced that she would never be able to stop biting her nails. According to a 1985 report by The Washington Post, the royal discussed her bad habit with a manicurist while she was visiting a hospital. "'I have tried everything to stop," Diana reportedly said. "It is a nervous habit. Have you got a miracle cure?" After the professional suggested applying a bitter substance on her nails, the beloved royal replied, "I think I'm too old to stop now." At the time, she was only 23 years old. 

However, Diana appeared to have figured out how to stop biting her nails for good by the time her iconic 1991 Vogue cover rolled around, which showed her with well-manicured nails. Speaking to Vanity Fair in 2016, Diana's hairstylist, Sam McKnight, shared that while her haircut may have stolen the show in the photoshoot, her real pride and joy were her nails. "She had just stopped biting her nails and was so proud of how they looked," McKnight said. 

According to a newspaper clipping from the Daily Express, Diana ultimately resorted to alternative therapy to put an end to her nail-biting habit, trying everything from acupuncture to aromatherapy and reflexology. Although research on whether acupuncture can help people break the bad habit is limited, a 2019 study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that auricular acupressure for anxiety did help reduce nail-biting in children. Reflexology and aromatherapy could have further aided Diana in her journey by helping her keep her stress levels in check.

To most people, Princess Diana's reported means to break her bad habit could come across as unconventional. However, unconventional might have just been what someone like the royal needed after going down the tried-and-tested routes. Moreover, even researchers and studies agree that there are several unusual ways to potentially put an end to nail-biting. 

A 2023 study in JAMA Dermatology investigated whether habit replacement therapy could help people who bit their nails or the inside of their cheeks, as well as those with trichotillomania, a condition that caused them to pluck their hair under stressful situations. To practice habit replacement therapy, participants were asked to rub their fingertips, palm, or arm when they felt the desire to bite their nails. 53% of the group that tried this treatment reported that it helped them to some degree. Additionally, 80% of people said they were satisfied with the method, and 86% reported they would recommend it to a loved one. Out of all the participating groups, the treatment proved most helpful for those who bit their nails.

According to UCLA Health, even something as simple as chewing gum or distracting yourself with a mentally stimulating task could help curb the stressful feelings that make people want to bite their nails. At the end of the day, it's important to know that biting your nails is more risky than you think because of what's really under your dirty fingernails.