Karen Peat ?Someone I know who prefers to remain nameless who bites their nails ended up having to get rushed to Glasgow Royal Infirmary today for emergency surgery because they had bitten their nails down too far and had got an infection in the finger,? Peat wrote on January 7.
Karen Peat said her friend had to be rushed to hospital after biting their nails too far down (Picture: Facebook)

A woman posted a photo of her friend’s swollen, blistered finger to warn about the potentially fatal consequences of biting your nails.

Karen Peat, from Scotland, said her pal had to be rushed to hospital for emergency surgery after chomping too much of the skin off the sides.

Infection set in and medics warned it could have been much worse had they left it.

Karen’s post read: ‘A message to nail biters out there STOP!!!

‘Someone I know who prefers to remain nameless who bites their nails ended up having to get rushed to Glasgow Royal Infirmary today for emergency surgery because they had bitten their nails down too far and had got an infection in the finger.

Karen Peat ?Someone I know who prefers to remain nameless who bites their nails ended up having to get rushed to Glasgow Royal Infirmary today for emergency surgery because they had bitten their nails down too far and had got an infection in the finger,? Peat wrote on January 7.
Karen’s post (Picture: Facebook)

‘This person had been to two chemists and spoken to two separate pharmacists over the past few days who had advised to use magnesium sulphate and keep it covered it still got worse and when finally went to the A&E this morning was told if left much longer it could have been fatal as the infection was travelling up the arm hence the emergency surgery!

‘So please please stop biting your nails!!’

Back in 2018 dad-of-two Luke Hanoman, from Birkdale, Southport, almost died from blood poisoning triggered by biting his nails.

He suffered flu-like symptoms for a week without realising an infection was spreading.

Luckily his worried mum phoned NHS helpline 111, who told her to rush him to A&E where he was treated for life threatening sepsis.

Karen Peat ?Someone I know who prefers to remain nameless who bites their nails ended up having to get rushed to Glasgow Royal Infirmary today for emergency surgery because they had bitten their nails down too far and had got an infection in the finger,? Peat wrote on January 7.
The pal initially sought help from two chemists (Picture: Facebook)
Karen Peat ?Someone I know who prefers to remain nameless who bites their nails ended up having to get rushed to Glasgow Royal Infirmary today for emergency surgery because they had bitten their nails down too far and had got an infection in the finger,? Peat wrote on January 7.
Despite keeping it covered her friend’s thumb kept getting worse and they eventually needed surgery (Picture: Facebook)

Around 20 to 30 per cent of the population is believed to regularly bite their nails.

Shamir Patel, founder and pharmacist at Chemist-4-U.com, told The Mirror: ‘Removing the skin around your nails can leave open wounds which can quickly become infected.

‘It seems like a medical horror story, but it is a fact that sepsis and other infections can be caused by someone inadvertently chewing off skin.

‘We’ve all done it and we all know how painful it can be, but that is nothing compared to the consequences which can, in rare cases, be extreme.

‘Anyone who has a habit of biting their nails should know the risks involved and do all they can to stop.’

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