<Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Dermatophagia </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Extreme nail biting / biting of skin to point of an obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) or other condition leading to self mutilating behaviour such as autistic spectrum disorders (as is the case in this example) or Lesch - Nyhan Syndrome . </Td> </Tr> <P> Dermatophagia (from Ancient Greek δέρμα - skin - and φαγεία - eating) is a compulsion disorder of gnawing, biting or eating one's own skin, most commonly at the fingers . People with dermatophagia typically bite the skin around the nails, leading to bleeding and discoloration over time . Some people also bite on their skin on their finger knuckles which can lead to pain and bleeding just by moving their fingers . Some usually consume the flesh during an episode . Contemporary research suggests a link between impulse control disorders and obsessive--compulsive disorders, and this may be addressed in the DSM - 5, published in May 2013 . Further information on OCD, other anxiety disorders, and dermatophagia and other impulse - control disorders can be found in the DSM - IV TR . </P> <P> People with dermatophagia chew their skin out of compulsion, and can do so on a variety of places on their body . Those with dermatophagia typically chew the skin surrounding their fingernails and joints . They also chew on the inside of their mouth, cheeks, and / or lips, causing blisters in and outside of the mouth . If the behavior is left unchecked for an extended period, calluses may start to develop where most of the biting is done . </P>

Is it bad to bite the skin off your fingers