Can our stomach digest fingernails?

Question

I've been a nail biter for as long as I can remember, and I often worry about any negative effects this habit may have on my body. I recently watched a clip from Ripley's about an Indian girl who had to undergo surgery to remove five ounces of hair from her stomach. It made me anxious! Can our stomachs actually digest fingernails, and should I be concerned about my nail-biting habit?

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

just think of this: a drop of stomach acid can burn a hole through a carpet. the only reason it does not burn through our stomachs is because our stomachs have a lining of mucus inside of it. and by the way, not all of ripleys clips are real. so no its not harmful for your stomach to bite your nails. if it was, i wouldnt be around to type this. i bite my nails too.

Prof. Mitchell Fay · Answer

Don't swallow your fingernails! Spit 'em out and then this afternoon go get a nail file and start keeping them smooth so you won't be tempted to bite them.

If you insist on keeping up with the nail biting, and if you just can't bring yourself to spit fingernail shards all over your surroundings, then I think if you bite off small enough pieces they'll just pass through, maybe scratching you a little on the way out, but probably they won't digest. As for the Indian girl with the hairball - now SHE'S got problems! Don't bite your nails. It spreads germs.

Anonymous · Answer

hmm thats a good question, I am also a nail bitter and I have wondered the same thing, but i dont know if it is a health problem or not, I hope that its not.  I would go to webmd and ask that question there.  Good Luck

Anonymous · Answer

so quit swallowing your nails, geez, if you have to bite em off, at least spit em out. ewwwwwwwww, gross habit.

Anonymous · Answer

i think they come out in your poop

Mr. Louisa Denesik PhD

Can our stomach digest fingernails?

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