 Mavala Stop doesa wonderful job! |
| Review Date: November 11, 2005 |
| Reviewer: blnkfrnk, Arcata, CA |
This product is amazing. I've been biting my nails for more than 15 years (I'm almost 22), and I managed to stop completely in three weeks.
Mainly, I had to become aware of what I was physically doing so I could stop doing it. Because of the horrible, bitter, lingering taste of Mavala Stop, I gradually became aware of what I was doing and could consciously think about my actions. It forced me to be conscious of my bad habit. Secondly, the nasty taste removed any enjoyment or stress relief I got from biting my nails since it was so incredibly unpleasant. I became very wary, very quickly. This combination of factors made it possible for me to stop, which I thought I could never do.
The taste is really horrible. It's like acetone (nail polish remover), bitter, rotten wood, and some sort of fish put together. It has a very chemical taste with a sweet undertone that makes for a horrible experience. The taste is also very durable and lingering. If you licked a nail painted with Mavala Stop, it would take a few minutes to get the taste out. The taste was so bad, in my opinion, that getting it off of my teeth, lips, and tongue when I slipped up stopped whatever I was doing or thinking about. It's very, very gross. Two coats of polish will last for more than one full week before rubbing off. It can help to freshen it up during the week to keep the taste at full unpleasantness.
It ruined finger foods for me during the time I used it. My fingers periodically touched my lips while I was eating, and the nasty taste would rub off slightly. This made me lick my lips a lot to remove the taste quicker-- it's easier to get it over with quickly than to try to avoid it on your lips--which made them lose moisture and chap badly. So you should also buy some lip balm at the same time. If you touch a nail with a fingertip, it will rub off there, too, and from there can transfer to coffee cups, pencils, hors d'oeuvres, etc. Wash your hands before you eat anything that might touch them.
There were no English directions packaged with the product. I don't think this is a problem, since the directions are pretty much obvious (Shake. Paint nails. Gag at taste) but it might be a concern for some people. A great deal of other languages were represented in the instruction pamphlet, including German, Portugese, Spanish, French, and a number of Asian languages.
Mavala Stop has a shine comparable to clear nail polish, but not as shiny as premium or ultra-shine clear nail polish. Your nails will probably not look natural, but if that's a concern, you could probably lie and say it's just a nice, buffed manicure. It could easily be worn over nail polish and would probably work like an extra protective topcoat. The shiny quality rubs out over time. At the end of a week it will be duller and more matte, but also less effective.
The bottle holds roughly the same amount as a regular bottle of nail polish, but Mavala Stop seems to be of a slightly thinner consistency. I recommend carrying the bottle with you in a pocket or purse so that if you must do something to your nails, it can at least be a touch-up. Washing your hands seems to dull it out more quickly, and removes some of the taste, but not all, by far. It does not wash out with water and soap, but the power is reduced.
The only reason you would fail with this product is if you can't bring yourself to enforce it. You have to make sure you put it on and touch it up. The temptation of not putting it on or letting it wear off quickly is certainly there. I would advise getting someone else involved who will scold you or remind you about it.
I would recommend this product to anyone. The price is worth it as it works very well. I am very pleased with the result.
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An amazing product for stopping thumbsucking !
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| Review Date: November 6, 2005 |
| Reviewer: Nicole Church, New York, NY USA |
| After months of encouraging/pestering our son to stop sucking his thumb (he is four), we finally decided to use a product to help. After doing some research, this one stood out as the most effective. Our son agreed that it was hard to stop on his own, and agreed to "extra help." The results are amazing. It has been 3 weeks, and he essentially stopped sucking after the first application. Now I think the urge/habit is really out of his system. We apply the product every 2 days, and plan to taper it off when it's been a little longer. One setback occurred when we had not applied it for 3 days (the bitter taste had dissipated), and he woke up and announced that he had sucked his thumb overnight. He seemed disappointed in himself for having sucked overnight and was initially resistant to reapplying the product. My recommendation is to be very regular in applying it during the crucial early phase when they need the most help. I am so glad we bought this product!!!! |
Best ever!
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| Review Date: March 30, 2006 |
| Reviewer: M. Wohl, APO, AE |
| I have been biting my nails for as long as I can remember, and it seems like I have tried everything out there to help me quit-this product is the only thing that worked for me. I put it on my nails every 3 days or so. The taste is horrible, and lingers in your mouth for a while-it really discourages you from putting your fingers in your mouth. I recommend it to anyone who needs to stop biting their nails. |
I never knew there could be a cure!
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| Review Date: June 5, 2006 |
| Reviewer: bjr, Boynton Beach, FL USA |
I am 21 years old.. I have been biting my nails for as long as I can remember. I have tried many many times to stop. Mostly, it was trying to do it "cold turkey," but that never worked. I would also paint my nails pretty colors, get acrylics, etc.. all would revert back to me biting at my nails. Not to mention, painting little stubs is NOT that attractive to begin with. So, I gave in and bought this product!
It is now only two weeks after I started applying this to my nails. The taste is HORRIBLE. Oh my lord.. I hate to say it, but I am SO happy it is! You will cringe at the thought of placing your fingers remotely close to your mouth. The taste will remain very potent on your nails for about three days. It is a nice clear coat of nail polish, so it doesn't look bad on your nails.
I now no longer get the urge to bite my nails. I went out and bought brand new nail polish to celebrate! I can't wait for another two weeks to where my nails will be nice and LONG! I also have plenty more in the bottle jusssst in case I feel I may be getting an urge.
I recommend this product completely!! Anyone who is fed up with biting their nails to an oblivion will be pleasantly suprised! Trust me, I thought I was a lost cause! |
Worked for us!
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| Review Date: March 9, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Joanne R., San Francisco,CA |
| My son has been sucking his thumb since he was in the womb (could see him doing it on the ultrasound!). Though it made him a great sleeper as a baby, now at 5 1/2 it was time to stop. Now he's losing his first tooth, the dentist told him he should stop too. Fortunately, my son is very taste sensitive, so he really did not want to suck w/ the Mavala on. Unfortunately, the first night he woke up screaming at 2am because he sucked and we had to deal w/ the rinsing and wiping his tongue off w/ a towel! He kicked his habit within 2 days, has not sucked in 4 weeks now! (BTW, we started putting a sock over his hand so he would not accidently suck at night time) |
My son stops biting his fingers after 1 day
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| Review Date: January 21, 2007 |
| Reviewer: From Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO |
| My 9 year old son bit all 10 of his finger nails to the point of bleeding for the last 7 years. I've tried other products and methods to no avail. He was very motivated to stop biting fingers because he was starting to notice the social stigma and of course, his fingers hurt! So, after a dicussion of how putting this MAVALA product on his fingers was just a reminder, not punishment, he agreed to give it a try. The first day, he had to brush his teeth 5 times because he bit his fingers forgetfully. The next day, and now almost 3 months later, he hadn't bitten his fingers once. We reward him for each time we clip all 10 of his finger nails to reinforce the good habit of not biting fingers. Just to be on the safe side, he is still applying the product on his nails every week, and we encourage that so he won't slip back to his bad habits. After all, he bit his fingers for most of his life! |
Worked well for our 6-year-old
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| Review Date: May 24, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Louis Rios, Kansas City, MO USA |
| Our almost-seven-year-old daughter was still thumbsucking almost every evening and at bedtime. (She knows better than to do so at school). We gave her fair warning that this product was coming, and when it arrived (about 6 weeks ago) we let her apply it onto her own thumb. Apparently she was "ready" to give up the thumb, becuase we haven't had a problem since then. She re-applies it as needed at bedtime, and surprisingly she hasn't complained much at all. She does report that sometimes she accidentally gets a taste of this stuff while eating a sandwich or some other finger food, but it's not often, and it doesn't seem to have affected her appetite. I'm optimistic that we can stop using it soon. |
I can't believe this worked so well!!!!!
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| Review Date: October 24, 2005 |
| Reviewer: M. Wheelwright, Menlo Park, CA |
| This stuff was amazing! My daughter who is 2 1/2 would not stop sucking her ring and middle finger. We bought this product and put it on her like nail polish before bed. She loves nail polish, so there was no foolery about it. We had worked her up to it telling her that if she didn't stop sucking her fingers they were going to start to taste bad. Sure enough she came out the next morning telling me that her fingers tasted bad because she had tried to suck them.... within the week she had stopped even trying. She even was asking for me to paint her nails before bed! She is now 3 years old and still hasn't gone back to sucking her fingers!!! This product is amazing! We had tried tape and bandaids on her fingers before... nothing helped. Thanks for such an awesome product! |
Helped quit thumb sucking
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| Review Date: October 10, 2005 |
| Reviewer: Happy Mama, USA |
My son turned 5 recently and I've been telling him for months that he can't have a birthday party unless he quits sucking his thumb. He was trying really hard to remember, but it's just like second nature, so was really hard. Well 3 weeks before his birthday, I got this product. I started on a weekend, as I had read reviews here .. and I'm glad I did. The night that I put it on he woke up 3 times asking for juice, to wash out the 'yucky' taste. I hadn't realized that he sucked his thumb so much in his sleep too. Then I waited until the next weekend to apply it again and continued putting it on everyday .. because by now he would remember to not put it in his mouth. He would take his thumb up but remember just in time.
A great product .. for a kid trying and willing to quit. |
Unbelievably effective
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| Review Date: January 28, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Educated Parent, Bethesda, MD United States |
We tried every behavior modification we could think of, then tried ones we read about, then consulted a dentist. Nothing worked, be it positive-only reinforcement or otherwise. Our 4 year old daughter couldn't stop sucking her thumb.
While we are usually quite skeptical of simple sounding remedies, I can honestly say this is the closest thing to a miracle drug I've seen. Overnight it stopped. She cried once when she didn't think about it and put her thumb in her mouth. That was it. We are going on 4 weeks now. Unbelievable. |
Wish I knew about this product sooner!
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| Review Date: July 19, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Amy, Virginia |
| This product worked immediately. I wish I had known about it sooner. I used it on my 4 year old son who was a thumbsucker. He had a callous on his thumb from sucking so hard and I was beginning to see that his teeth were sticking out. Along with applying the clear polish, I used lots of praise and gave my son extra attention for a couple of weeks. He was very proud of himself for stopping. I am hoping that this little investment saved me some money on braces and speech therapy. |
Just what this family needed - worked in one day.
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| Review Date: September 6, 2006 |
| Reviewer: E. H. Black, |
My almost 3 year old was chewing his fingernails and toenails so badly that they would bleed. He would then move on to the skin around them. It was painful and looked horrible.
In ONE DAY, he no longer attempted to put his fingers or toes in his mouth.
It worked for my 10 year old until he discovered that he could soak his fingers and scrape it off the nails. I solved that problem by re-painting after bathtime.
It's been over a month and I only had to apply it for about a week and a half. No more nail biting in this house!
The taste is very strong and it lingers. I tried it myself and it took about five minutes to get the taste to go away completely.
I'm convinced that this product saved my baby boy from pain and potential infections. |
The BEST Nail Biting Deterent EVER!
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| Review Date: July 13, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Rebecca, TN |
| This product does what it says it will do - STOPS NAIL BITING & THUMB SUCKING! I've tried many other products to try to keep my 2 yr. old son from biting his nails because he sees his father doing it. This is the ONLY product that works! If only I could get his father to put it on his nails! Definitely would recommend this to anyone who's needing to keep the fingers out of the mouth! |
Good and awful.
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| Review Date: January 10, 2007 |
| Reviewer: J. Lynn, Jacksonville, Florida United States |
You wouldn't think that saying how terrible a product is can actually be a good thing. This stuff tastes awful. It lingers. I've tried other no-bite/thumbsucking products, most of them were supposed to be hot and probably intended more for young thumbsuckers. They never bothered me enough to stop. I've been a lifelong nail-biter, and I know that the hardest thing about stopping is that it's often unconscious, but with this product you know very quickly what you are doing!
You do have to reapply every day or every two, depending on how much wear/washing your hands get, but even with a busy schedule I haven't had trouble finding the time. I won't say this is a miracle cure. There are other causes/factors behind nail-biting that Mavala cannot fix. But for me it has certainly helped with the physical hand-to-mouth part of the habit.
The only time I regret having it on is when I'm preparing food or eating fingerfood. And I don't think I'd recommend this for thumbsucking children. It would almost be cruel. |
Miracle
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| Review Date: July 12, 2007 |
| Reviewer: my kids' mom, silverdale, wa |
| After one day my 3 1/2 year old completely stopped sucking her fingers. I wish I would have tried this sooner! Was not traumatic for her at all. I told her that there is a magic fairy who decides when you are a "big girl" and when that time comes she makes your fingers taste bad so you won't suck them anymore and you can be a big girl. I painted the stuff on her nails while she slept and she was so excited when she woke up and realized that the fairy had come and now she was a big girl! Sounds kind of crazy but it worked and she hasn't even attempted to suck her fingers for over a month now. |
Mavala Stop ( nail bite deterrent)
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| Review Date: August 23, 2007 |
| Reviewer: T. Swift, upstate, NY |
| This works great. My daughter who is 8 says it tasted gross and it is helping her to stop biting her nails. It even applies over regular polish. Highly recommend it and worth the price. |
For Whatever Reason... the Results Were Amazing
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| Review Date: December 16, 2007 |
| Reviewer: A. E Rothert, Edwardsville |
| I bought this for a six-year-old thumbsucker after reading the reviews here and having had already tried all kinds of postive reinforcements and rewards to eliminating thumb-sucking. Going into first grade, it seemed imperative that he stop soon to avoid an onslaught on taunts from other children. We used this product ONCE five months ago, and the thumb has not been sucked since. This was a kid who sucked his thumb hours every day. This was a great purchase. With that said, I am not sure it was the product itself that caused the change or just the idea of something being placed on the finger that would help the child not suck his thumb. Before subjecting my child to the bitterness of this concoction, I tried it... and it was not THAT bad. Whatever. It worked, so I recommend it. |
Oh gosh, it's nasty! Nasty! Which is good!!!
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| Review Date: January 3, 2010 |
| Reviewer: PghYinzer, Pittsburgh, PA United States |
My son is a finger sucker. I wouldn't care so much if he'd keep it in the privacy of home... but he's 6 now, he does it in school, the other kids tease him - so it's time to stop.
We tried Thum. Thum doesn't last long at all - and it doesn't even taste that bad. Spicy, but with all the Thai food I ate when I was pregnant with my him, really, spicy probably doesn't phase him.
Then someone on a parenting board I read mentioned this and we bought some. Good God. This stuff is FOUL.
We were sitting downstairs playing video games and my son stuck his fingers in his mouth, then ran upstairs to get a drink of juice to get rid of the taste.
I tried some on my own thumb, to see how bad it is. It's bad. And after washing dishes twice and washing my hands I don't know how many times, yuck, still bad! And it's BAD, bitter, nasty, not just spicy.
I've got high hopes for this. We just started using it today but if any sort of flavored deterrant is going to do it, this stuff will.
I'm almost afraid it's TOO nasty... You don't realize how much you inadvertantly stick your fingers in your mouth till there's something like this on them. I did it a couple times during dinner. Yuck! It's really, really nasty!!!
Crossing my fingers - so far I'm impressed.
1/25/10 - updating to say he totally kicked his habit in a very short time. I would reccomend this to anyone with a finger/thumb sucking/buting habit. Money very well spent!!! |
Worked for my Thumb Sucker
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| Review Date: August 31, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Charlie, Indiana |
We thought we had tried everything to help my five year old to stop sucking his thumb. He was getting really discouraged that he kept failing with everything he tried. It was a really hard habit for him to break. His teeth have gotten really bad and he has been getting horrible canker sores in his mouth. So finally we made an appointment to have an appliance placed in his mouth. The dentist couldn't get us in for four months so I scheduled the appointment but decided to check the internet one last time. We have tried other paint on products but he just sucked them off so I wasn't very hopeful, but this product got good reviews so I ordered it.
So far it has worked like a charm. It is really nasty so sucking it off hasn't been a problem. He has also tried washing it off but that doesn't work either. It hasn't been easy for him. Sometimes he is so proud of himself for going five days without sucking and then other times he gets really frustrated. Once when he had had a hard day at school and wanted to suck his thumb to relieve the stress he cried and exclaimed "The worst day of my life was the day that stuff came in the mail." It is a bit heartbreaking to watch him struggle, but I think in the long run it is for the best. I don't know how long it will take before he stops wishing he could suck his thumb, but I have to say this is a very effective product. It saved us $275.00 in dental fees. I would definately give this a try if a gentler approach doesn't work. |
Miracle Results!
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| Review Date: March 16, 2007 |
| Reviewer: L. Anderson, |
| My 5 1/2 year old sucked his thumb form birth and we tried many different behavior modifications. I thought putting this on his thumb was cruel but when his dentist told me it was starting to have detrimental effects on his teeth and jaw (and YES it can and does have an effect on their mouth, I saw the x rays), I ordered Mavala. Within one week, he broke his habit!! It has been over two months now and we are so proud of him and more importantly, he is so proud of himself!! Some tips.....we talked to him, planted the idea in his head over months and HE decided he was ready to stop, the product cinched the deal! We let him put it on himself (with help) so that he felt in control of the situation. I agreed to give up a habit using Mavala too...cursing. Whenever I cursed (a horrible habit!!) I put this stuff on my tounge! GAG! It is AWFUL and it worked! My son was more willing to do it when he saw I would too! My potty mouth has improved dramatically! THANK YOU MAVALA for saving me thousands at the orthodontist and for making me a better role model for my #@$#@#!% kids! Oops Mavala time... |
This stuff is MAVA-lous!!!!
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| Review Date: May 24, 2007 |
| Reviewer: C. Lewis, Nashville, TN |
We bought this for our daughter who persistently sucked her thumb until she was six. We tried everything else we could think of to get her to stop with no luck. Mavala worked in just a couple of days. It smells horrid and I can imagine that it tastes even worse. The only drawback was that our daughter would accidentally lick her thumb while she was eating and get a taste of it. Since it only took a couple of days for her to break the habit it didn't really matter. One year later and she still doesn't suck her thumb. I just wish I had discovered this sooner before she had done the damage to her teeth. I thought it was expensive, but the price of braces is making it quite a bargain.
Since I had to use very little of this product to make it work, I gave the remainder to a friend who used it to help him stop biting his nails. It was very effective for him as well even though he is an adult.
I highly recommend Mavala Stop! |
Mavala Stop for Nail Biting
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| Review Date: May 3, 2008 |
| Reviewer: C. Catalano, Montara, CA USA |
| My almost 5 year old daughter had sucked her thumbs from birth and nothing we did would make her stop. So, I found this product on Amazon and decided to try it out. I figured if it didn't work, I was only out $[...] plus shipping. Well, it has been 3 1/2 weeks and she no longer sucks her thumb! We still put it on every few days, just to remind her. But she really has no desire to suck her thumb! It is awesome. Now, here is the kicker....I have bitten my nails FOREVER!!! And I made a deal with my daughter that I would use this to stop with her. Well, happy to report that I no longer bit my nails! This stuff works because it tastes REALLY horrible. It doesn't transfers to food that I am cooking and I cook everyday. It does wash off if you regularly wash dishes by hand, so I just apply daily. I completely and totally recommend this stuff. But remember it tastes terrible, I mean really terrible. |
I can't believe how well it worked
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| Review Date: June 8, 2005 |
| Reviewer: Christopher Muller, |
My 4 year old daughter has been sucking her thumb since birth, and we've spent about the last two years trying to get her to stop. I believe she truly wants to stop, but can't get over the habit.
I used this stuff on her thumbnail (and mine and my wife's) and she immediately stopped sucking. It tastes truly awful, and the bitterness doesn't leave so be prepared with some fruit juice always on hand for the first couple days. Also, the first night was hard because she instinctively would suck and be woken up by the horrible taste (I have to run to the fridge for juice in the middle of the night)
It's been two full days and she no longer seems to have an urge to suck her thumb anymore. Here's the amazing part - she is extremely happy that she's done sucking her thumb! I don't think she wanted to, but felt compelled to and now she feels great.
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Can't Believe How Fast This Worked!!!
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| Review Date: June 24, 2005 |
| Reviewer: Lori Donnelly, Orland Park, IL |
My son is almost 3, and sucked his thumb all the time, even while playing. We've tried everything to get him to stop, from telling him that his nail would fall of from bugs and worms growing out of it, to chili powder mixed with hot sauce (he liked it!). I saw the great reviews for this online, and decided to try it. I was skeptical because of the chili powder experience, but after ONE application, he stopped! He had to drink 2 huge cups of juice to get rid of the taste in his mouth, and has tried a couple times to put his thumb in again, but I haven't seen him sucking it at all...even at night. So that he doesn't just attribute the taste to the polish (and think it will go away), I put it on when he sleeps now, and told him that his fingers taste bad because he sucked them for so long. One piece of advice: don't give them finger foods, the taste transfers! Thank you MAVALA!!!
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Wonderful Product
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| Review Date: October 5, 2006 |
| Reviewer: E. Newton, South Fulton, TN USA |
| Wow, what can I say. This product is amazing. I have been biting my nails for 28 years and finally a product that has stopped me. Thanks so much and May God Bless You!!! |
Works Great!
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| Review Date: March 20, 2007 |
| Reviewer: R. Jensen, Modesto, CA USA |
| I was able to get my 8-year-old son to stop nail-biting entirely after only three applications. Try it! |
Too Much Product
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| Review Date: October 22, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Dustin L. Davis, SLC, UT United States |
| First off, let me give my complaint - there is way too much of this stuff. Why? Because you only have to apply it two or three times then you're done. I put this on my 2 year old who liked to suck two fingers. I first did it in his sleep so I wouldn't have to fight with him. Poor guy woke up crying after sticking his fingers in his mouth! Second day we put in on with him watching. It was interesting to see him go to stick his fingers in his mouth out of habit, stop, look at them and say "Gross on fingers." Day 3 he asked me to put it on for him. Weird. Anyway, the habit is completely gone. |
It Really Works! And, Quick!
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| Review Date: April 16, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Stephanie, Austin, TX |
| After a visit to the orthodontist at age 7, my oldest daughter stopped sucking her thumb cold turkey - as she had to report back in 2 wks as to how she was doing. At age 8 now, she just got an "erector" set of a mouthpiece with "piston" looking things - aargh! all because of thumb sucking. Now, I also have (or did have!) a 3yr. old thumb sucker. The ortho. gave me a bottle of Mavala Stop to try - in one day, she quit! And we are now 17 days thumb-free! On another note, I'm having trouble getting her to sleep now. :) I only put it on her one thumb, as that was the only problem. It's just like potty training though - parents (and teachers) have to be ready to endure this, with lots of encouragement, alternatives, "awards", etc. |
Quickly ended my son's nail biting
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| Review Date: August 3, 2008 |
| Reviewer: R. V. Winkle, Seattle, WA |
| I bought this to use on my 3-year-old who had been biting his nails for over a year, and the problem was escalating to him chewing on his fingertips and toenails. I painted his fingernails with Mavala Stop after he had fallen asleep one night. Shortly after waking the next morning he stuck a finger in his mouth... and screamed! He spit and screamed and spit some more. I felt horrible, and helped him rinse out the bad taste. At breakfast, he cried because he kept getting the taste in his mouth from his fingers while eating. Overall, it was not a good day, but did get progressively better by night. Again, I painted his nails after he fell asleep. Day two - no tears and no nail biting! He did tell me that his fingers still tasted bad. I painted his nails a third night, just to be safe. Then, that was it! No more nail biting! Three months later, his nails have grown back and I trim them weekly (something I wasn't able to do for most of last year). I still feel badly that I resorted to painting icky chemicals on my son, but boy did it ever do the job, and fast! |
It really works!
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| Review Date: August 12, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Georgie, |
This product is amazing! I have been chewing on my cuticles for at least 10 years and have never had anything work like Mavala does!
I used to chew on my cuticles CONSTANTLY throughout the day, which left my fingers bleeding, raw, and horrible to look at by the end of every day. In fact, I envied people who chewed on their nails because their fingers looked light years better than mine did! I didn't realize half the time when I was chewing on them, which definitely makes it hard to break the habit. At first I tried to have my boyfriend and other friends just stop me when they saw me, but they can't watch me all the time, and I just got really good at waiting for them to stop looking. After trying some other creative ways of breaking the habit, I decided to purchase Mavala Stop to see if it would deter me from putting my fingers near my mouth. Did it ever! The taste is NASTY (which is great for reminding you to stop) and it lingers for a while on your lips and tongue afterward for at least a few minutes. This is great for me because it just reinforces the lesson even after, which means I am less likely to attempt to chew again. I swear I would try to convince myself that it wasn't so bad, but when you have the taste still on your lips for a while there is not way to deny that is it gross. I am proud to say that my cuticles are healing up wonderfully and I am less likely now to try to put my fingers in my mouth. There is enough nail polish in the bottle to last you until you have permanently broken the habit too, so you don't need to worry about a temporary fix and then when you run out falling back in the habit. The polish is not very noticeable either, just a little shiny at first and then dulls after a day or so.
A few things to note though: The first day I used this product, I put a lot of it on and all over my cuticles just for safe measure. I don't put any more on my cuticles just because it was too much, but it was a great shock factor to teach me not to do it any more. I would say though be careful with children because it will be REALLY bad if they put their whole nail in their mouths without realizing it. The taste also lingers on your lips if you touch them (which is really disgusting while eating food), so be careful when you freshly apply the stuff. And for adults, slather it on every 2 days with someone else to watch you, since it would be easy to "forget" to put it on without a support system to make sure you follow through. Seriously though, I carry this stuff in my purse and I have not had a problem! I dread the thought of chewing my cuticles cause I know I will get a nasty taste in return!
This product would probably also work for kids who has issues putting different stuff in their mouths (fingers, boogers, blankets, toys, etc) or with pets chewing on things. Be creative and give this product a try, you won't disappointed! |
Excellent Product but use with caution
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| Review Date: March 22, 2010 |
| Reviewer: M. Ballard, MD |
| My wife and I purchased this for our 2 1/2 yr son... hoping that it would stop him from sucking his thumb. Please note that the bottle recommends not giving this to any child under 3, but my wife and I were desperate :) The product works! I applied it once and my son has never sucked his thumb again. I recommend that you use it with caution and not put on too much like I did. I thought that I only put on a little, but my son's digestive system has a difference of opinion. After sucking his thumb (while the polish was on) for approx. 30 seconds he took it out and complained about his mouth feeling funny. 20 seconds later his lunch from earlier that day was on the floor (this is the clean version). Ever since the puke incident, he has never sucked his thumb again. |
Worked for our 3 year old
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| Review Date: March 24, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Terri, Union, KY |
| Our 3 year old only sucked her thumb when going to sleep, but our dentist insisted she stop. When I told her that I bought medicine to help her stop sucking her thumb, she got upset with me. We put the Mavala Stop on her thumbs, all it took was one time sucking her thumb and she stop because of the bitter taste. However, she complained of her finger being sore, when asked what happened she admitted to sucking her fingers. Now we put the Mavala Stop on all of her fingers and she even reminds me to apply it after baths. |
This stuff REALLY REALLY WORKS!
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| Review Date: March 25, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Samuel Evans, |
I'm 24 years old and I've been biting my nails ever since I can remember. I've never been able to see the whites of my nails! I decided to buy this product in hopes of stopping and I'm glad I did. Ever since the first day I put it on my nails I've stopped biting them. The stuff is a little glossy but I don't care because it works. It REALLY REALLY REALLY Taste horrible, disgusting stuff. The first time I put it on I didn't actually get a taste of it until I forgot the stuff was on and put my fingers in my mouth and was shocked to how horrible it tastes. It tasted so bad that I didn't re apply the stuff and didn't bite my nails for about 2 weeks but then the urges came back so I re-applied the polish. The only problem I had was eating messy things and then licking my fingers, Kinda ruins the meal. Also flossing is difficult so just remember to remove the polish when flossing or when eating messy foods and stuff.
If you bite your nails, chew up the skins of your fingers or enjoy picking up change off the ground with ease due to healthy long fingernails I fully recommend this stuff! |
ugh! i guess it works.
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| Review Date: November 21, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Michael Ragiel, easton, pa United States |
| Based on the reviews i've read; is the reason I bought this. As a nail biter all my life so far this stuff works (as long as you put it on). It tastes so bad and that bad taste stay in your mouth way too long, you eventually stop. |
Works Great!!
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| Review Date: June 18, 2005 |
| Reviewer: Family Man, Jordan, MN |
| My soon to be 7 year old "was" a thumbsucker up until 2 weeks ago. We tried everything from thumb splints, bandaids, mittens, bribes of toys, positive reinforcement but nothing would help. There is a another fingernail product out there at local dept stores that claims to have a bitter taste. I bought that only to find out it is cayenne pepper, which to me is cruel so I threw that out after trying it, and confirming it does put your mouth on fire. We brought her to the orthodontist for a consultation and they wanted $250 to glue a device in the mouth. I read it can cause soreness for several days. Then I saw this product online, and the awful taste claim without any cayenne pepper in it, so I purchased it. We applied that to both thumbs along with a lot of positive reinforcement and encouragement (never a negative comment). It's important kids get extra hugs and cuddle time to substitute the security their thumb provides. I tried the product and it is very nasty tasting and it linguers, but not a cruel taste. The first few days my daughter would sometimes forget and put her thumb in, and you will want water handy to wash the taste away. My daughter has been thumb free for 2 weeks, and she has broken the night time subconscious act of putting her thumb in her mouth. I can't believe this is not available at the pharmacy. I highly recommend. |
Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!
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| Review Date: August 26, 2005 |
| Reviewer: Frankie, New York |
| I have a five year old who has sucked his thumb since infancy. I have tried everything, positive reinforcement and rewards, hugs and one over the counter pharmacy product (containing cayenne pepper which he enjoyed) but to no avail. I read about the product reviews and could not believe the reponses, it sounded far too easy. Well, the thumb sucking habit ended in just ONE DAY! This product is a nail polish type which is brushed on once a day and has a bitter, unpleasant taste but not harmful. I tried it on myself first to make sure. I continued to use Mavala Stop on him for one week just in case there was a relapse. At the end of the week, I used nail polish remover and soap and water to remove the residue, so there would be no more bitter taste. He has not sucked his thumb since. Effective results! |
Stopped thumb sucking of 4 year old
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| Review Date: September 8, 2005 |
| Reviewer: Tank, Wisconsin USA |
| Mavala Stop worked immediately to stop the thumb sucking of my four year old son. There was no fighting at all. |
I can't believe it!
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| Review Date: September 27, 2005 |
| Reviewer: Jennifer Johnson, |
| After trying EVERYTHING, I bought this product for my three year old who would not stop sucking her fingers. One application and she stopped. I actually tasted it and it doesn't burn their little mouths, it will just leave a bad taste in their mouths for a while. She actually told me that she didn't want to suck them anymore. Stop is a great product. |
I'm truly amazed!
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| Review Date: January 2, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Robert H. Mayer, Pearland, TX |
| Before purchasing this product, I'd read numerous reviews as to its effectiveness so I was confident that it would work for us. Our daughter, nearing four years of age, has been a habitual finger-sucker (pinky and ring fingers together) ever since we weaned her off the pacifier at about 6 months. I was expecting the use of Mavala Stop to be an emotional battle that might take a week or so to win. But, this stuff literally worked OVERNIGHT! After perhaps a couple of brief fusses following attempts to put her fingers in her mouth, she was trained. Two days later we applied it once more just to be safe, but I don't think she ever tried again. This stuff is nothing short of miraculous! |
Thank Goodness For Mavala!!!!
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| Review Date: February 21, 2006 |
| Reviewer: needmorebabe, Waldron, AR USA |
| I have a 7-year old boy who HAD been biting his fingernails constantly! I knew things were serious, when I caught him biting his TOENAILS because he really couldn't get a "good gnaw" going on his fingers anymore!! Talk about disgusting!! Unfortunately, his 3-year-old sister had followed in his footsteps and had begun to bite HER fingernails. That's when I ordered Mavala. I applied a heavy coat on both kids' fingernails the first night I received Mavala in the mail. Neither child minded very much, UNTIL they tried to bite their nails & discovered the HORRIBLE taste!! My boy actually cried when he realized that he would have to taste the Mavala every time he got his fingers near his mouth...including when he ate pizza, popcorn, chips, or any other snack food. Within a day, both kids were headed for a cure of their nail-biting. I assured them that if they grew their nails back out to regular length, I would stop applying the Mavala (which I had been applying about every other day). After 10 days, I removed the Mavala with fantastic results!! Both kids have quit putting their fingers anywhere near their mouths! I still have 2/3 of a bottle left, so they know I can repeat the treatment if they backslide!! Thanks, Mavala!! |
5 days and counting!
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| Review Date: October 30, 2006 |
| Reviewer: S. Katz, |
This is a great product, it tastes terrible, something that preventing the other stuff I had tried before from working, and it is shiny so I know that something is there and I can fight the urge to bite my fingernails. The sheen is a problem as well though as a male it is hard to wear shiny nail polish but since it is working I can deal with it. The other problem is that when eating it sometimes rubs off on my lips, etc especially with finger foods. But I can say that since it is working i will deal with these two minor problems. I have been biting my fingernails for over 20 years and this is honestly the first product that has worked for me!
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It Works
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| Review Date: October 17, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Scott Warren, |
| Buy it, use it religiously and you will not be able to bite. Your nails will grow. As long as this stuff is on your nails, you will not be able to bite them. It is truly awful. In 30 years of nail biting, this is the first thing that has deterred me. It's working wonderfully for me. |
THIS WORKS!
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| Review Date: October 23, 2007 |
| Reviewer: S. Goldfarb, south FL |
| This product helped our daughter (age 3) stop sucking her fingers. She hated the strong taste and even odor. It dries fairly quickly on the naila nd even finger area underneath the nail. It worked for us, so yes, we're very happy! |
Best product out there
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| Review Date: December 7, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Morella Klimacek, |
| My daughter started biting her nails at the age of 1. We tried everything, she tried everything, and nothing worked. She was miserable, because by the time she was 12, everyone in her grade had beautiful painted nails and she wanted them. We bought the product, and it took only 1 day for her to stop. After this "miracle", my husband started using it too, and he also stopped. I recommend it highly. Now my daughter has lovely hands, and her nails are envied by many of her friends. |
Works wonders for finger/thumb suckers
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| Review Date: April 29, 2008 |
| Reviewer: C. Hill, Northern Virginia |
We had tried everything short of an appliance to stop my two children from sucking their thumb and fingers. The sucking was causing them to frequently be sick with colds. Friend recommended this product. From the moment we applied, about 1 month ago, they have not put their fingers back in their mouths.
Highly recommend this product to anyone who wants to end finger sucking right away!
C. Hill |
It's Working
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| Review Date: May 1, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Tammi Beacher, FL |
| It's been 3 weeks since using this. I was skeptical at first because my 3 1/2 year old loves both his thumbs. I was using it morning and night because it was coming off in the bath. He did not like the taste at all but the first week I had caught him sucking his thumb at night (with the stuff). Then he started to say his thumb was yucky and only for babies and he says I don't suck my thumb and he really doesn't. The urge of putting his hand to his mouth has even faded. This weekend we went away and I did not use it and NO THUMB SUCKING. I am still putting it on thumbs, don't know when I will stop I am scared of relapse. But I would really recommend this for sucking. |
Helpful Aide for Adult Nailbitters Trying to Quit
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| Review Date: May 18, 2008 |
| Reviewer: M. Wilson, Washington, USA |
I'm a 30 year old nail bitter that has wanted to quit for sometime. An orthodontist turned me onto the product as "the one that does the trick" to stop nailbiting and thumb sucking in younger patients. I've used it for the past 3 weeks and found it is an excellent aide in reminding me to get my fingers out of my mouth. The taste is a definant deterant and sticks with you. It last through multiple handwashings (I'm in health care and constantly washing my hands) - so you don't need frequent reapplicaitons.
I recommend MAVALA stop, the bitter long lasting taste keeps my fingers out of my mouth. Although it has not cured the habit, that is up to me and time... (when it wears off, I'll start to tempt fate with nail-love-bites). And for less than $10 it's worth the investment.
PROS: Long lasting (1-2 days); Very bitter; Does not sting eyes
CONS: Hard to floss (b/c it doesn't wash off); Gets taste on foods when eating with hands |
Works almost too good!
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| Review Date: June 10, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Bret Schumacher, Kauai, Hawaii |
| Better stop eating finger foods because as promised this product stays on for 2 days no matter how much you wash it...which is kinda the point! Kids were not happy with this being so good but as a life-long biter I think it is the best product out there...think this is finally the product to help me kick the habit! |
Incredibly Effective
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| Review Date: July 8, 2008 |
| Reviewer: JL, Idaho |
As far as negative reinforcement is concerned, this product is extremely effective. I HAD a 17-month-old thumbsucker who was so attached to her thumb that her top teeth were starting to buck. I had already tried several other tactics with no positive results. My brother recommended Mavala Stop, so I tried it.
The first night was rough on my daughter (and on us), but she very quickly stopped the thumbsucking. The next day, however, she discovered her OTHER (non-treated) thumb, so I applied more Mavala. In hindsight, I probably should have just painted both thumbs from the start.
Anyway, after reading another reviewer's comments, I had only put a tiny bit on the tip of my daughter's thumbnails. I found it didn't last long that way, so just ended up painting the entire thumbnail on both hands. Since then, I've been thrilled to see that the habit is completely gone. This product is perfect for ending thumbsucking. I couldn't be happier with the results. |
Worked in 1 day for our 3.5 year old
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| Review Date: July 24, 2008 |
| Reviewer: CB, Chicago, IL |
Took one day,
(tried positive reinforcement/rewards for 6 months with no successs)
Prepped our child for its arrival. Let her know she is big now and that she had to stop and we had medicine to help her. Let her apply it to her nails since she is so big (never let her touch medicine so this was a big treat). On the 1st night we both tasted a very very very small amount. It is very bitter. She woke twice the 1st night after putting her thumb in her mouth. Applied it to the nails over the next 1 to 1.5 weeks but she never sucked her thumb after the 1st night.
other things we learned:
only apply it to the nail and wrap the bottle in a tissue. The smallest drop will work its way to your child's mouth.
If they do get it in their mouth. Make sure the cup or sippy they drink from to clean their mouth out is also cleaned or change after drinking. The cup will get the product on it, therby continuing the taste in their mouth.
Finally, toothpaste was the best to get the taste out.
The taste for our child was not horrible just annoyong and letting her apply it empowered her to be able to stop sucking her thumb by herself.
Good Luck. |
Amazing!
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| Review Date: July 27, 2008 |
| Reviewer: V. Parker, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida United States |
My daughter comes from a long line of thumb suckers. So I was not surprised when she developed this habit as an infant. At age five we decided to take some pro active steps to break the habit. I was ready to order one of the thumb covering devices, when my spouse pointed out the fact that she immediately went back to sucking her thumb after four weeks of having a full cast on her arm. However, I was skeptical of using this product because my own Mom had tried it (or a similar product) on me as a child and it did not work. But we decided to try Mavala, and I am so glad we did. It worked for us immediately. We continued to apply the product once every 3-4 days for a period of about three months just to give my daughter time to adjust to sleeping with out the thumb.
Nine months later and the habit is gone. One thing to point out, my daughter was ready to quit and had even come to us asking for help. I am sure that is the main reason for her success. Yes it tastes bad, but it is just enough to remind a child who has already decided they want to stop. Btw, I finally stopped when I got braces. I am so glad it didn't have to go that far for my daughter- good luck! |
Have been biting my nails my whole life
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| Review Date: September 6, 2008 |
| Reviewer: A. Seavey, San Diego |
| I am a college student who has been biting my fingernails as long as I can remember. I have always hated that I do it but have never been able to stop, it seems that I do it when I'm idle (during movies, class etc). I have used stuff I put on my nails before but it never deterred me enough. When I got this stuff in the mail I put it on right away, a few hours later when I went to bite my nails I got just about the worst taste imaginable. Lets just say that the taste is so bad that when you even have the slightest thought of biting your nail you cringe. My nails are the longest they have been since I can remember and this product works great. If you have been doing it for a long time and are having trouble quitting I really suggest this stuff. I love not being self conscious about my nails. |
works great
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| Review Date: October 24, 2008 |
| Reviewer: D. Slaven, |
| 3 1/2 yr old sucked her thumb a lot. with in 2 wks she stopped. First four days she would wake up or start to go to sleep with the taste in her mouth a little bit of juice would help take away the taste. She never cried about it she just would say I have the yucky taste in my mouth and we would take care of it. I explained to her before using it what it was and what would happen if she sucked her thumb. very quick and effective. |
The only solution that worked
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| Review Date: October 28, 2008 |
| Reviewer: D. Thompson, Cleveland, OH |
My daughter began sucking her thumb fiercely at 18 months old when her baby sister was born. Then she began sucking her thumb while using her other fingers to rub the tip of her nose. She did this so much and so hard that she literally rubbed an open wound into the tip of her nose. She'd had the "boo boo" for a year and we had tried everything to get her to stop -- socks on her hands, tape on her nose, commercial thumb guards, threats, bribes, EVERYTHING. We even had her in counseling to figure out what could be causing her to scar herself like this. Then, on a whim, I bought Mavala Stop. I only had to put in on her thumbnail every other day for a week. And she has not sucked her thumb or rubbed her nose since -- and that was about a month ago. This is by far the longest she has ever gone.
Thank God for this product. It has saved my little girl from infections, scars, and who knows what else. Thank you!!!! |
21 yr old male finally stopped
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| Review Date: November 28, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Christopher Chang, |
| i'm a 21 yr old male that has bitten his nails all his life, i just haev to say that this product realy worked wonders. so first of all you must have the resolve to stop. nail biting happens when triggered by something, and so you put the hand in your mouth and u start biting subconciously. so u must have the resolve to stop when you actually notice any biting. this product just reminds you that you have your fingers in your mouth, after that you must stop urself from biting.this isnt a miracle product that changes how you think and react, that is all you, this is merely a product that reminds you to change your habits. i see reviews on here saying it didnt work i just kept on biting, well that's because you expected it to change you, instead of thinking that this is a quick fix, think of it as a post-it on every 1 of your fingers. i recommend this to everyone out there that is just sick and tired of biting their nails |
Skeptical but I am now a believer
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| Review Date: April 7, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Jason C. Colbert, Boston, MA |
I ordered this product for my 4 1/2 year old son who has been sucking his thumb since he found it on his hand. After a recent visit to the dentist where he was told it was time to stop the thumb sucking, we looked into the methods to help him stop. I was torn between this product and ordering a thumb guard, but thought the thumb guard may be embarassing for him. So I figured I'd give the Malava Stop a try first and boy was I happy I did.
The first time he sucked his thumb with this product I did feel a little bad as he was spitting for about 10 minutes straight and told me the taste was yucky. But after 5 just days, he had stopped sucking his thumb completely! Unbelievable.
One other thing I liked about the product is since its applied like a nail polish, I could put it directly on his thumbnails so it wouldn't rub off on food if he were eating something by hand. |
WOW. This stuff is DISGUSTING (good!)
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| Review Date: April 14, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Erik Zarikian, Orlando, FL USA |
I would like to note that I do not recommend this for babies or small children because it is REALLY REALLY disgusting. I would try a simpler formula first such as THUM (which is just basically Cayenne Pepper) or other alternative methods.
First, I want to explain that I have been an extremely heavy nail biter for my entire life (25 years). I am the kind of person who bites their nails all the way to the cuticle to the point where they become deformed and only have a thin layer of skin (no nail) - I've basically lost any sensation of pain in my fingers. This is not to brag, be graphic, or to disgust anyone; it is just to give you an idea of the level of nail biting we are talking about here. I am not stressful - my mind is just programmed to put my finger in my mouth when I am not concentrating on anything else.
I have tried several methods. Gloves, bandages, and accounting rubber fingertips are embarrassing and uncomfortable. I tried another bad tasting nail polish - but that was just Cayenne Pepper - which I love! :)
I got this in the mail today and applied it. I tried to convince myself that it would be the most terrible taste in the world to keep the hype up for as long as possible to give me a head start to break the habit - as I didn't believe it would be as bad as it was described.
Let me tell you: I didn't need to build fake hype. This stuff is God-awfully disgusting. If I had to describe the taste to you, I would say it is a mixture of earwax, metal, and the aftertaste of licking a battery times 100. It lingers on your tongue for about 20 minutes after you come anywhere in contact with it and you have to gargle with mouthwash to get any immediate relief - it seems to get worse with just rinsing with water.
So, day 1: After messing up three times and putting my finger in my mouth subconsciously, I am absolutely terrified to put my finger anywhere near my mouth and have not bitten my nails once - something I don't think has ever happened in my life. Those three times that I had a mind-lapse, I stopped biting immediately and ran to the sink to try to rinse the taste out.
I will give the product a 5 star review because it is accurately described.
I will post another review later to let you know if in the end this worked - or if I just started getting used to the taste like every other method!
If this works and I am finally over this habit, I will be forever grateful :)
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It works!
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| Review Date: April 27, 2009 |
| Reviewer: E. Smith-Baker, |
| Everyone told me that my 3 year old son would stop sucking his thumb when he was ready and that it wasn't a big deal. Being that my son is in daycare and around other children I was concerned about him picking up germs by always sucking his thumb. I put the product on his thumb while he was sleep and in the middle of the night he screamed out that his mouth tested bad. I felt horrible that I had taken his comfort away from him. He told me that someone put something bad on his thumb and I told him it was medicine so he didn't have to suck his thumb anymore. My son no longer sucks his thumb and it worked right away! Highly recommend this product! |
Worked for my 2 thumb suckers!
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| Review Date: April 29, 2009 |
| Reviewer: B. Sinclair, Chattanooga, TN |
| I never thought I'd ever get my daughters (especially my 5 year old) to quit sucking her finger! But, Mavala had great reviews so I figured I'd give it a shot. It worked. She hasn't sucked her finger in almost a year, so I'm sure the habit has been broken by now. I kept putting it on even after she had seemed to have control over the habit...as a reminder. I highly recommend! |
Thumb Sucking
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| Review Date: May 1, 2009 |
| Reviewer: J. Gibson, Ft. Worth, Tx. |
| I have a 3 yr old and this product broke his thumb sucking habit in to weeks. Actually, it probably took a week. He just did not like the bitter taste at all. The not on his thumb has heeled and his nails are growing now, because he use to bite his nails all the back. So this is a great product. |
30 days to stop nail biting? Didn't even take half that time.
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| Review Date: June 4, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Miles S. Thompson, Atlanta, GA USA |
I was a serious nail biter. I'm 25 and can't remember a time when I didn't bite my nails. Like some of the other reviewers, I would bite my nails down the quick. It never bothered me really until I realized it started affecting my work.
I decided to finally stop. I had tried cold turkey, fidgeting with toys, and even wearing gloves but nothing worked. I then tried the MAVALA STOP nail polish. After reading a lot of reviews, I was already frightened to put my fingers near my mouth. For the first two days, I was overly cautious and never tasted the awful stuff. Then one day I forgot.
The taste is so foreign and bad, you can't help but bring it to your conscious level of thought and notify yourself that you were about to bite your nails. That's all I really needed and I have stopped biting my nails after 14 days and only 3 applications.
Other pluses:
- No smell
- Does not wash off without scrubbing
- Horrid taste akin to earwax
- Apply once every 2-3 days
In fact, the only downside to the product is that the day following an application, finger food is contaminated with this awful taste. Use utensils!
Oh, not for children under 3 or really anyone where a bad taste is not a deterrent. |
Mavala Stop is a Miracle !!!
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| Review Date: June 26, 2009 |
| Reviewer: VJ, Dallas TX |
| We bought Mavala stop last week for my 2 years 3 months old daughter who has been sucking her thumb since she was 3 months old. What a miracle product Mavala stop is..it worked rightaway. She completly stopped her thumb sucking habit. Since she is only 2 years old, initially we were concerned about the safety of Mavala but it is not a problem. We did try Thum but she started relishing rightaway. Mavala is a great product. |
IT REALLY WORKS
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| Review Date: September 12, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Curtis Stumbaugh, PSL |
| After trying every product under the sun for our six year old daughter MAVALA worked. Our daughter sucked her thumb 24/7. Her mouth had started to change form about a year ago and yes I don't care what the doctor's say her teeth were starting to stick out. The thumb sucking also started to affect her speech. When I ordered the Mavala, I told our daughter I was trying to help her to stop sucking her thumb that she wasn't in trouble and as parents we didn't want her harming herself anymore. By the time Mavala arrived at our door step she was ready. That was until we came at her with it. She cried and was really scared. I put the Mavala on both thumbs and within one hour she had put her thumb in her mouth several times. She kept asking for water through the night. The taste was awful, but within 24 hours we started to notice a difference. It's been three weeks and our daughter is still going strong. It's truly wonderful seeing she change in front of us. She's more positive about herself and is starting to really stand strong. Once in awhile she will say I need more stuff on my thumbs. She wants to help herself. Please don't get me wrong this wasn't easy the first 24 hours and she did cry a couple of times, but as parents we need to do what's best for our children. Stand your ground. Also I had read about 20 reviews on Mavala before buying it and about 99% said their children got sick from putting their finger's in their mouths. This did not happen to us. I applied on both thumbs and didn't need to reapply for almost 24 to 48 hours. Good luck |
Mavala STOP. <---- Is exactly what it makes you do.
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| Review Date: September 21, 2009 |
| Reviewer: S. Farooq, Montreal, Qc Canada |
| I've been biting my nails since the age of 4, I'm now 23 and can proudly say that I no longer bite my nails. One application was enough to have me cease all nail biting. |
Give it a try - it worked for me
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| Review Date: October 2, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Jennifer O'Meara, Seattle, WA |
I bit my nails for nearly 20 years. Finally, about a year ago, I bought this product, and I was finally able to stop. I had tried everything I could think of - just focusing on not biting, rubber bands on my wrist, and other random stuff that really just did not work. This stuff is great.
You paint it on your nails. It looks like clear polish. It coats on pretty thin. I'm female, but I think as a man it's subtle enough wearing it wouldn't be too bad. It adds some shine, so it's not invisible. Anyway, you will notice anytime you put your hands on or in your mouth. I thought I just had my hands near my mouth when biting my nails, but I realized I put them near my mouth other times as well, such as when eating foods with my fingers. You'll find you want to use silverware or eat a lot more carefully - no more licking food off your fingers! Anyway, for a chronic nailbiter, you've probably already started before you notice, and you don't want to leave a hangnail after that. At least that was the way for me. With this stuff, you'll stop immediately.
The taste is definitely unpleasant, but it definitely won't make you sick. The best part was, despite nearly 20 years of biting, after using this stuff for 2 or 3 weeks, I stopped using it, and I didn't start biting again. The habit had just disappeared.
To not relapse, I recommend keeping your nails fairly short. Having long nails is annoying if you're not used to it. Also, at the first sign of relapse, use the polish again. |
Works like a charm
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| Review Date: January 3, 2010 |
| Reviewer: M. Zizek, Chicago, IL |
| This item worked great, I only had to reapply it once and the thumb-sucking habit was kicked in a week. |
Working like a charm on a stubborn 4yr old girl
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| Review Date: January 17, 2010 |
| Reviewer: MAK Mom, Oak Lawn, IL, US |
I was skeptical of any prodcut for eliminating thumbsucking, especially when I was seeing thumb apparatus for stopping it. I had my questions: how would she eat, hold a fork or pencil? Would I have to put her in this while she was at school because I know she sucks her thumb when she's there? Wow! The cost of some are unbelievable (over $100)!
The reviews for Mavala were so great and cost was minimal compared to the other options, I figured why not.
We have been explaining to her that she is a big girl and needs to stop sucking her thumb. She would suck while watching TV, riding in a car, listening to a story, the park, the grocery store, basically anywhere her hands weren't occupied. She finally agreed to stopping and I told her we were getting her some nailpolish to help her stop.
She was excited to put it on because it is nailpolish but the first time she put her thumb in her mouth she started to gag; not the "I'm going to get sick" gag but the "Holy cow, what did I just put in my mouth" gag. I will admit that she did cry a few days later when I wanted to put more on. She sat in my lap, crying and saying, "throw that yucky stuff away, Mommy, throw it away, it's so yucky."
And I will also admit that she was crying so hard that I almost did stop treatment. I held her tight and looked at her and said, "You know what though? You're doing such a great job with not sucking your thumb! Have you noticed that you don't suck your thumb anymore? You're getting to be such a big girl like your sisters!!" And that little bit of encouragement made the tears stop and made her hold her thumb out and say, "OK, Mommy, you can put it on again."
This stuff is grand and I recommend it to everyone who has a thumbsucker or who bites their nails. I put some on my thumb to show my daughter that I can wear it too. Later that night I brush my thumb passed my lips and started gagging like my daughter! haha. This stuff is awful but very effective. It works! And hopefully we can stave off braces! |
AMAZING!!!
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| Review Date: January 22, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Ryan Davis, Ann Arbor |
I have never wrote a review before but I felt obligated to write one on this product. It is AMAZING. My daughter has been a thumb sucker from day one. We really wanted to cut the habbit before her 3rd birthday because as a former finger sucker myself, I know the older you get the harder it is to quit. I bought this product (she will be three in 2 months) and one the very first day of using this she has stopped sucking her thumb. I put it on every night before bed for the first week and then every other night the 2-3 week. By day 3 she was really starting to go through withdrawl (moody, crying at night, etc) but she is doing very well and adjusting everyday. I will continue to use this product for a full 4-5 weeks just to make sure she has kicked this habit. LOVE IT!
I would recommend this product to anyone. |
Instant Success
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| Review Date: February 1, 2010 |
| Reviewer: W. Duffy, |
Two words-- Instant Success
Our son could not break the thumb habit for eight years-- we were facing orthodotic intervention. We got a second orthodontic opinion, and the doctor recommended Mavala Stop. Ordered it, applied it to the thumb, he tasted it once, and that was the END of the THUMB!
It's been three months now since we used Mavala Stop. I don't think I applied it after the first few days. (ps: those first few days were VERY, VERY hard to get through for our son-- hard to sleep, hard when he was awake, lots of willpower-- my heart broke for him!) But after that, we've never looked back-- not one relapse-- it's over!
Wishing you the same success-- |
Amazing Product -- Stopped 2.5 Year-Old's Thumb-sucking in One Day
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| Review Date: February 8, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Baltimore Bill, Baltimore |
| Our daughter is 2 and-a-half and loved to suck her thumb. All of the time, especially when going to sleep. My wife and I didn't have any concern (given how young she is, we figured she would grow out of it), but our dentist said that her teeth were getting out of position and that we should try to get her to stop. We looked at thumb guards, but they looked so bulky for a toddler, so we bought this product after a recommendation from a friend. For about a week, we tried to get our daughter to stop sucking her thumb by encouragement and rewards, but she was too young for that to work and said that stopping sucking her thumb would make her feel "sad." You know, she would say "go away," and then she would suck her thumb. So, we bought Mavala and explained to her that this would help her stop sucking her thumb. At first, she didn't want it, but then she said she wanted to stop sucking her thumb and wanted to try it. We put one coat on her left thumb, and immediately were told, "I don't like that," and "wash that off" and "I don't like that taste." Heard it many times and each time, we tried to change the subject. And, guess what -- she STOPPED sucking her thumb. At night, this girl who always fell asleep with her thumb in her mouth stopped as well. It wasn't the easiest night, but the next day and night things were so much better. We are on day 3 and we reapplied a coat to make sure we don't lose any of the gains, but so far, this is working like a charm and, as a parent, have to say it has been relatively painless. Sure, it was cute when her thumb was in her mouth and she was sleeping. But it wouldn't be cute when in a few years her teeth would be all misaligned and we would be paying substantial orthodontic bills. In short, if you are considering this product even for someone as young as two and a half, as long as he or she can somewhat understand what is going on, then this product could not be more recommended. |
Works great
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| Review Date: March 9, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Jessica L. Stanley, |
| I bought this for my 5 year old son who sucks his thumb at night to fall asleep. It worked wonders. Within a few days he quit the habit. The taste is awful and enough to make him stop. I highly recommend this to anyone. |
works real good
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| Review Date: March 17, 2010 |
| Reviewer: kenneth, |
| trust me this works real good. I tried and probably wouldnt recommend this for young kids because i almost gag. |
Worked Better Than Expected!
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| Review Date: March 19, 2010 |
| Reviewer: T. Priest, Raleigh, NC |
WORKED LIKE A CHARM! I was expecting a battle, so what actually transpired was not how I was imagining this whole thing would go, but I couldn't be happier, that's for certain! Our daughters, ages 2.5 years and 4.5 years, have sucked their pointer and middle fingers since about the age of 6 months. My husband and I reserached several options (behavior modification kits and finger guards), and eventually decided to go the cheapest route and try the Mavala Stop polish. If it didn't work, we would have only wasted $15 compared to $75+ (finger guard). We started it on Monday, March 1st, 2010. Of course, that first day they both put their fingers in their mouth of out habit and were not AT ALL pleased with the flavor. My youngest daughter gagged so hard from the first taste that she threw up a little bit, but since day #2, they have not sucked their fingers! There was no battle, no fighting, no crying... they are even bragging *TO ME* that they aren't sucking their fingers anymore. I haven't reapplied the polish in a good week and the habit has not come back, not even at night. Last time I did put it on, my oldest daughter came *TO ME* and asked me to reapply it.
For such an affordable price, why not try it? If it winds up that your child is one of the few that it doesn't work on, you're only out about $15. From the looks of it, Mavala Stop is very effective! We are definitely satisfied customers and proud parents of two little girls that no longer suck their fingers! :-)
Good Luck! |
Incredible! It really works! Really!!
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| Review Date: March 22, 2010 |
| Reviewer: K. Smith, |
| MY daughter is almost 6 years old and we have had SUCH a hard time trying to get her to stop sucking her thumb. I finally ordered this and after the first time i put it on her thumb, she hasn't sucked it since! not even once! She has no desire! Even after the taste wore off, she doesn't suck her thumb! What a great product! It is wonderful! |
Powerful Stuff
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| Review Date: March 24, 2010 |
| Reviewer: M. Mccormack, Clifton, VA |
| Stopping nail biting is tough, but I can guarantee you that if you apply Mavala as directed you will not nail bite. It is a powerful formula with an incredibly bitter taste which stopped me dead. It is difficult to imagine anyone who would continue to nail bite after tasting Mavala. The key, of course, is that you have to use it religiously. If you do, it will work. |
Wonderful product
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| Review Date: March 27, 2010 |
| Reviewer: R. Prescott, Utah |
| Product worked fast and was immediately effective in stopping my daughter from sucking her finger. AWESOME!!! |
Amazing!
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| Review Date: April 22, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Karen I. Cole, Ashburn, VA |
| This stuff is the best! Nothing else worked. We tried everything to get our son to stop his thumb sucking habit. He stopped in one day! I am still applying the solution at night while he sleeps (every other night) just to make sure he doesn't start up again. I want to be sure we completely break the habit. I would very highly recommend this product!! |
Wow. I Can't Believe It! It WORKED!
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| Review Date: July 6, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Julia Valinski, |
| I am a 33 year old woman who has been biting her nails for as long as she can remember. I tried New Years resolutions, hypnosis, and "No Bite" (similar to this product) and none of them worked. (No Bite is similar but you have to reapply every time you wash your hands and that does not work for me.) This stuff, you put on every other day or so. When I 1st started, I put it on every day, but now I only put it on every few days. Its been almost two months since I bought this product(and I still have over half the bottle) and I actually have nails and dont bite them. Don't get me wrong... I want to bite them... they look delicious... but the horrible taste that would accompany that action makes it just not worth it. This product works... you cant even THINK about biting your nails without this stuff getting in your mouth. Not only that, but you you wont lick your fingers after eating chicken or chips. This product is horrible! Well... I guess its great since it does what its supposed to do. It is NOT MADE FOR KIDS UNDER 5, so if you read some of the 1 star reviews, you will see a lot of those folks cannot follow directions. I will recommend this product. Its horrible and wonderful at the same time... now I can get a manicure without being embarrased about my chewed nails. |
Finally....
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| Review Date: July 21, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Stephen J. Perrello, |
I am 38 and have been biting my nails for as long as I can remember! I was such a bad nail biter, I have actually broken two teeth. 7 months ago I noticed my 9 year old twins were both biting their nails down to the nailbeds and beyond! So I decided it was time! I purchased Mavala Stop through Amazon.com.
I painted my nails, and both kids nails. In the beginning I did very good not even putting my fingers to my mouth. The kids told me how bad it was, so I resisted. Well, it didn't take long to be eating BBQ and accidentally lick my fingers! AAACCCKKK! Now I know what they are talking about.
It's been 7 months. I have only bit a nail 2 or 3 times. Once the pain and "itch" goes away it becomes easier! My kids are doing excellent also!
It goes on shinny, but dulls in a day or two. I recommend re-coating every 3 or 4 days. (especially during pool season) Also, make sure your nails stay trimmed!
7 months later and I'm a believer! I have been embalming for 18 years and that never kept me from biting my nails.... THIS HAS!! Two thumbs up!
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Frustrating but highly effective
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| Review Date: July 24, 2010 |
| Reviewer: R. Murphy, |
*Note* Being vegetarian, I had to email the company to make sure that it is a vegetarian formula, given all the flavor reviews made me doubt it, but it is safe for vegetarians.
I bought this for my 7yo daughter who's been sucking her thumb since being days old. Of course, this is our last resort, as we've tried MANY other remedies to no avail. The first day I applied the product, she complained and cried that it was no fair and that it stained her mouth. She would try orange juice, water, milk, and other foods to get the taste out. I felt bad, but that was the point of the product! At night, to pass time until she fell asleep, she figured out she could watch the clock to get her mind off of not being able to suck her thumb. I had to realize that she had been doing this for so long, she didn't realize she was doing it, hence why this was the best product to get her attention.
Her only other complaint was when she would eat finger foods. We went to a tea room with little sandwiches and other finger foods, and just barely touching her bottom lip with her thumbnail threw her off. Fortunately, she does not have an easy gag reflex, so we never had to deal with vomit like others on here. Although, when I asked her what it tasted like, she said it was a mix of bitter, peppers, and dog poop. So, there you go!
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Worked for us!
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| Review Date: August 9, 2006 |
| Reviewer: SoCal Gal, CA, United States |
| We used this to get our daughter to stop sucking her thumb and it worked! She was about 3 1/2 years old when we used it and she hasn't resumed the habit in 2 years. |
stop nail biting quick
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| Review Date: October 25, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Lucky JB, Hillside, NJ USA |
| Will help you stop biting nails real quick. Has a horrible taste so you will stop quick. |
This stuff works wonders!!
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| Review Date: May 26, 2005 |
| Reviewer: Melly's mom, Huntingtown, MD USA |
I put this on my 3 1/2 yr old. It was kind of sad because it really tastes bad (I tried it myself too) It's only been 3 days and I'll probably re-apply today, but she won't even go near her thumb now!
My neighbor used it on her son, and he stopped sucking too. |
Great product!
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| Review Date: October 6, 2005 |
| Reviewer: SDT, |
| I didn't think there was anything that would so effectively and safely discourage thumb-sucking, but this product did. Almost instantaneously, my daughter had a strong aversion to it's taste, and is now more focused on not sucking her thumb. We did need to apply it to her fingers as well, because she tried to bypass it, but quickly realized that would not work. I like that this product stays on a for a few days like a nail polish, and can't be wiped off, as some enterprising kids will try to do. Overall, an A+! |
Stop my 4 year olds nailbiting
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| Review Date: November 5, 2006 |
| Reviewer: austin mom, Austin, Texas |
| My four year old was biting her nails so badly that she got infections and the ends of her fingers were always sore. She even started asking me to put bandaids on them frequently. It tastes AWFUL and stays in you mouth for awhile. It only took a couple of days and she quit. I'm so glad I ordered it! |
THE BEST
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| Review Date: January 27, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Joey, NY |
| I've been biting my nails forever, I have tried everything. This product works better than anything. FORGET about putting it on a "few" times a week though, if you really bite your nails often you have to put it on a minimum of once a day but more often if you wash your hands/take multiple showers. |
The best stuff for stopping thumb sucking ever.
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| Review Date: February 9, 2007 |
| Reviewer: S. Roush, OH |
| This is the best worst tasting stuff you can get, put it on my 4yr old before she went to bed one evening, she put her thumb in her mouth once, and she hasn't done it again for over a month, she fussed about it a few times, but doesn't even talk about it now, haven't put any on for almost 2 weeks, still no thumb sucking, to bad for all the orthodontist out there. |
It worked for 2 nail biting children!
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| Review Date: April 25, 2007 |
| Reviewer: mvd, chicago |
1. I was charged for this product immediately, then emailed that it was backordered. It did finally arrive, took about 3 weeks total.
2. It WORKS. I have 2 children, a boy almost 5, and a girl almost 7. He has been biting for a few months, she for probably a year. They both had absolutely NO nails left and also were biting the skin around the nail. I would tell them to stop when watching tv, etc, but could not stop them while they were at school, etc.
3. It WORKS! They actually have nails! I put it on Wednesday afternoon for the first time. I reapplied inconsistently (it does wear off) - you could reapply twice a day or every couple days, depending on how much you need. By Monday afternoon, I could see decent nail growth on both children. My son did try to bite (more than my daughter) - and would then go get a drink to wash the taste out. It does taste very bad - not enough to make you sick, but enough to make you stop biting and help remember not to bite next time. I think the habit is broken, but I will keep it on them for a week or so now to make sure!
Also, there are a couple different listings on Amazon for this same product. |
So far it works!!
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| Review Date: April 26, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Kathryn102, Philadelphia, PA |
| I bought this product to get my [...] to stop sucking her thumbs. I started using it a week ago and have been re-applying it every 2 days. I am happy to report that she has not sucked her thumb since!! I tasted it myself and it is really gross! The longer you leave it in your mouth, the longer the bitter taste lasts - about 10 minutes when I tried it. Later that night I caught myself biting my nail and quickly tasted the Mavala and removed my finger. It wasn't long enough to leave a taste in my mouth, but it shows how quickly it works! Very happy! |
It's so amazing
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| Review Date: May 6, 2007 |
| Reviewer: C. Zhou, North Brunswick, NJ USA |
| My 11-year-old son just stopped biting his fingernails after we used this product for a few weeks, it's so amazing. |
It works
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| Review Date: May 10, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Melanie Varella, Whittier, CA |
My 3yr old son has been sucking his finger since he was a baby and it was really begining to mess up his teeth. I had seen some VERY expensive finger gaurds to prevent thumb/finger sucking but I didn't want something embarrassing or uncomfortable for him. Then I saw this Mavala stop for a few dollars so decided to give it a try. Just like that my sons habit is gone. This was an all day everyday habit for him. I can't believe how easy it was!
Just as a side note I tell my son that the bad taste is a reminder that he is a big kid now. Not punishment. That made him more cooperative. |
Excellent Product!!!
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| Review Date: May 12, 2007 |
| Reviewer: M. Marlowe, Alexandria, VA |
| My son has been sucking his thumb for years and we couldn't find any other products to stop him. After 4 days the product forced him to stop sucking his thumb. He hasn't sucked his thumb in about 3 weeks, so I really believe that he has overcome this habit. Thanks Mavala because you saved me thousands of dollars for braces. I would recommend this product to anyone that is having thumb sucking or finger sucking issue. |
worked in one day
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| Review Date: May 13, 2007 |
| Reviewer: K. Archer, new york |
| My 4year old bit his nails non-stop. I told him the mavala was a special magic potion. I was shocked he let me paint it on. It only took a few times putting his fingers in his mouth before he stopped. He didn't even complain about the horrendous taste. My one year old accidently got some on his tongue and it made him vomit. A few weeks later I saw my 4year old try biting his nails again and i painted on the malvala and he hasn't put his fingers in his mouth again. It really truely worked. |
Worked well for our 6-year-old
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| Review Date: May 24, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Louis Rios, Kansas City, MO USA |
| Our almost-seven-year-old daughter was still thumbsucking almost every evening and at bedtime. (She knows better than to do so at school). We gave her fair warning that this product was coming, and when it arrived (about 6 weeks ago) we let her apply it onto her own thumb. Apparently she was "ready" to give up the thumb, becuase we haven't had a problem since then. She re-applies it as needed at bedtime, and surprisingly she hasn't complained much at all. She does report that sometimes she accidentally gets a taste of this stuff while eating a sandwich or some other finger food, but it's not often, and it doesn't seem to have affected her appetite. I'm optimistic that we can stop using it altogether pretty soon. |
thumb sucking
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| Review Date: July 9, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Andrew J. Kurtz, |
| It works right from the get go. Be aware that it leaves a nasty taste in your child's mouth which make effect how food tastes after they try to suck there thumb when you first use it. |
Mavala Stop worked for my 2-year thumb sucker
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| Review Date: July 31, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Magali, Anaheim, CA |
| My 2-year-old daughter started sucking her thumb when she was 4 months old, after I stopped breastfeeding. She'd only suck her thumb when she was tired or going to sleep. She has a big callous on her thumb because of it. I ordered this product and got it. I put it on her thumb nail during the day so she was aware of what I was doing. When she was eating some snacks with her hands, her thumb nail touched her mouth and she spitted all the food out because of the taste. But this product works. At night, when she was tired, she tried to suck her thumb and I told her it was 'foochi' and she understood. She did move around a lot trying to fall asleep without her thumb but then she did. The next day, for her nap and again at night, she didn't even try to suck her thumb. Its been 5 days now, and no thumb sucking. I have been reapplying every 2 days just to make sure there is no relapse. |
So easy
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| Review Date: August 17, 2007 |
| Reviewer: B. Wilde, |
| My child is 4 1/2 and she stopped sucking her thumb the second I put this on. I made her aware of how it would taste. I only had to reapply it 2 times and she is done! |
EXCELLENT PRODUCT
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| Review Date: August 20, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Kat427, Florda, United States |
| My 2.5 year old son sucks his thumb when he's sleeping. I tried this product hoping it would stop him from sucking his thumb & it did! The first time I put it on his thumbs was before his nap. He cried for 20 mins saying his thumb was grody!! I coat his thumb nails in the morning before he leaves for daycare & at night before bed. I've only had the product for about 2 weeks but it has worked wonders. I would highly recommend this product to parents who child has a thumb sucking problem. He actually ask for me to paint his nails before bed now & says I don't suck my thumb. |
IT REALLY WORKS!!
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| Review Date: August 21, 2007 |
| Reviewer: N. Bergman, Kansas |
| My 5 year old preschooler had always sucked his thumb. I tried lots of things to get him to stop. This was another thing I decided to try. I wasn't sure if it would work but after 3 days of putting it on his thumbnail. He stopped!!! He doesn't suck his thumb anymore. I cannot believe it! He whined the first 2 days about it but he doesn't think about it anymore. YEA!!! |
Thumb Sucking
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| Review Date: August 29, 2007 |
| Reviewer: L. Martin, Dumfries, VA USA |
The product lives up to its name! My 2.8 year old was an avid thumb sucker: while playing, watching TV, traveling, before and during sleep. One taste of Mavala has continued to deter her from it. It has been 3 weeks now and still working. Mind you, I've had to continue using Mavala, applying every three to four days, as she 'taste tests' her thumbs to see if they are yet 'clean', in her words.
It's working for me and I'm thoroughly thrilled how effective this product has been.
All you need is one bottle. Good luck! |
stop thumb sucking
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| Review Date: September 6, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Malibu, Carlsbad, CA |
The bitter taste of this product last in your mouth for a long time. My 4 year-old daughter has just about stop sucking her thumb. If your child resist having the polish put on you can apply it while they sleep. The only drawback is that my daughter uses her hands to eat a lot. Therefore, she gets the taste of this nasty polish in her mouth and I believe it discourages her from eating as much. It's a great way to get kids to use utensils!
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it did the trick
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| Review Date: September 18, 2007 |
| Reviewer: happy mom, |
| I was desperate to get my daughter to stop sucking her thumb. I heard about Mavala and decided to try it. I was amazed at how effective this product was. The taste was so bad that she stopped sucking right away and it only took about 2 full days for her to stop completly. Boy am I glad I got Mavala! |
Works for Mary Grace
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| Review Date: October 4, 2007 |
| Reviewer: R. Good, Georgia, USA |
Mary had one experience with the taste and has not sucked her thumb or any other finger since we started using it. The effectiveness lasts through the day and she has had a couple of bad experiences - finding out that the taste is still there. So, if your child will be eating finger food, wash well before turning them loose for the day.
The products from the drugstore did NOT stop our 5 year old Mary. Mavala does quite effectively. I'd recommend the product. |
Best I've Seen to Date
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| Review Date: October 9, 2007 |
| Reviewer: VengefulVegan, Boston, MA United States |
I purchased this product for a friend after reviewing what was out there. He's been chewing his fingernails for at least 20 years by his own account. I tried this on my nails (although I'm not a biter) and it tastes AWFUL! I can't imagine getting used to the taste...and if I ever did, I'd have bigger problems than nail biting (laugh)! And it lasts, so you're not constantly re-applying. I was sure the horrible taste would wear out in a day or two, but it lasts for at least five days! Sure, it leaves a "polish" on your nails (like clear nail polish). But that's where the flavor is...where they keep the "magic", if you will. And hey, you actually HAVE nails! For some, it's not a vanity issue at all. Some people are actually ruining their teeth by biting their nails. What a shame! And my friend has lovely teeth. I'd hate to see him ruin them.
Like any self-administered aversion therapy, you have to be committed. And he is. Just like any habit, though, it's hard and you have to maintain your commitment to quitting. I am an ex-smoker and can thoroughly feel for what he's going through. It's an excellent aid to the committed quitter. We'll keep you posted, but I guarantee, if any taste-aversion therapy is going to work, this is it!
Good luck! |
Great Product
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| Review Date: October 12, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Kim, |
| This works great!! Within a day my son had stopped sucking his thumb; however, you should also be aware that it did make him vomit twice. Would I recommend this product to friends? Absolutely because my son is no longer sucking his thumb which is a habit I thought would be extremely difficult to break. |
Tastes like $%&$^*
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| Review Date: October 17, 2007 |
| Reviewer: James M. Course III, |
| This stuff tastes horrible. There is no way your kid will suck his/her thumb with this stuff on it! I took a taste and couldn't get it out of my mouth for hours. YUCK! |
This product is amazing
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| Review Date: October 19, 2007 |
| Reviewer: J. Darcy, SLC, UT USA |
| We decided to try this product because we couldn't get our 13 year old son to stop biting his fingers and our 5 year old daughter to stop sucking her thumb. In the past 4 weeks we have had amazing results. Our daughter has stopped sucking her thumb even at bed time. Our son is doing a lot better with biting his fingers and they are healing. He even asks us now to paint his nail because he likes how healthy his hands are looking. I would recommend this product to anyone who is having a problem with nail biting or thumb sucking. It really works!!! |
Stops even the most avid thumb sucker
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| Review Date: October 30, 2007 |
| Reviewer: T. Soares, |
| My 3 yr old has sucked her thumb since she was 6 months. I started using this product on Fri. Oct 5 and when she got her first taste of it she had a major fall out. I kept reapplying it all weekend and needless to say it was a restless 3 days. By Wed. of the next week she had figured out a way to suck her thumb without it touching her tongue. (she would hold her thumb in between her teeth and slob all over herself) I almost got discouraged stopped using it because even though she knew it was there she wouldn't stop trying to suck her thumb. (Mostly it was at night just out of habit) But I started putting the polish on her entire thumb and that's when I started seeing results. She didn't want to put her thumb even near her mouth. This went on for about 2 more weeks until she broke the habit of putting it in her mouth while sleeping. I stopped using it Fri. Oct 26 and all is well. The knot on the back of her thumb is starting to heal and she feels like she is a big girl!!!!! I would highly recommend this product. |
IS bitter but still find my daughter not kicking the habit, though has helped to reduce
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| Review Date: November 3, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Sridhar Krishnamurthi, New Hudson, MI |
Does help in reducing the duration, but somehow I think she is getting to like the taste of it :-(
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Thumb sucking ointment
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| Review Date: December 30, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Raleigh, NC Mom, |
| My son was a big time thumb sucker and he used this product three times and has kicked the habit. The bitter taste stays on the skin for two days and it really deters the user. It's a great product. |
A Wonderful Product!
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| Review Date: January 2, 2008 |
| Reviewer: T. Abushikha, N.C. |
I bought this product for my 7 and 4 year old children. Both kids are nail biters and despite my best efforts to get them to stop, nothing worked. That is, until I bought this nail polish. After the first application it began its magic and after only a week of applying it (and that's only been two applications because you paint it on once every two days) the nail biting is all but gone. I have to tell you, I tried it myself and the taste is absolutely terrible. It goes in mild but after a second it is repulsive and depending on how long the finger was in your mouth it tends to stay with you. A drink of water and washing the lips gets rid of the taste though, but I have to admit, it is a powerful deterrent--and no amount of hand washing gets rid of it on the fingers! My kids actually came close to vomiting because the taste was so terrible. The only downside comes when eating, especially with my 4 year old because her fingers sometimes go into her mouth by accident. You could count that as a positive though if you are picky about table manners.
My kids fingers were in very bad shape before using this polish making them self conscious and ashamed to have others look at them. Now the nails are actually starting to grow and the ragged appearance is starting to go away. They are now proud to show off their shiny nails and that is worth much more to me than any price this polish could possibly be.
My advice is to go ahead and get this polish if your own kids need help with nail biting or thumb sucking and are at an age to appreciate the help. I've told mine that the polish is there to help make their nails all better and they love getting their "medicine" to make their nails shiny. This stuff works and is worth every penny. |
Excellent product!
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| Review Date: January 9, 2008 |
| Reviewer: M. Saylor, |
| My daughter is 2 and has pretty much been sucking her thumb sice she was a month old and I couldn't find anything that worked until I ordered this product. The first day she stopped! She tried sucking her thumb twice that day and both times said "nasty" since then I haven't had to reapply or anything, she has completely stopped!!! |
Amazing, it really works
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| Review Date: January 16, 2008 |
| Reviewer: P. Persson, Boston, MA USA |
I have to say I was skeptic at first, but with this it took just 1 week for my 5-year-old to stop sucking her thumb. We kept on using it for a few more weeks, but now we do not even need to do that.
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Works wonders!!!
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| Review Date: January 19, 2008 |
| Reviewer: N. L. G. 1969, NJ, United States |
| If your child is a thumb sucker you need to buy this product. Our 3 year old was a major sucker and it took only one time, yes you read that correct, one time of putting "clear nail polish" to have her stop sucking her thumb!! She is so proud of herself for stopping, and we are too! Believe me, it is totally worth the money now, then having to pay for braces further down the road. |
Great product!
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| Review Date: January 19, 2008 |
| Reviewer: MK, Ca |
MAVALA Stop for Nail Biting and Thumb Sucking
I have a 7 year old and a 3 year old. Both were thumbsuckers until I used this product on them. My daughter has been wanting to stop but just did'nt know how so she was happy when I told her about this. My 3 year old son was not to happy but we tried anyway. They both did very well. My son woke up in the middle of the night once for the first few nights, but after that he was fine. It took about 1 week and they both have successfully stopped thumbsucking. I did reward them also every few days with a little prize for doing so well..they loved that! This stuff really works! |
Amazing!
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| Review Date: February 7, 2008 |
| Reviewer: E. Hunt, Portland, OR |
| My 5 year old daughter has sucked her 2 middle fingers since she was 2 months old. We tried a product called THUM as well as diluted tabasco. We tried band-aids, gauze tape as well as positive reinforcement. She wanted to stop but just couldn't. This product has been so wonderful. I tried it on my own finger and it does taste awful but that is what was necessary to stop this habit. Her baby teeth are a little flared from all the sucking; her 2 fingers looked terrible and she was always getting colds and viruses. Our dentist suggested a hand guard but it cost almost $100. With her baby teeth falling out and permanent teeth coming in, we were desperate to help her break this habit. We put it on as she sleeps each night. It doesn't wash off with handwashing so a once-a-day application is all that is needed. This is key- it doesn't wash off easily so it is long lasting throughout the day. She hasn't sucked her fingers in almost 3 weeks now. She is so proud of herself. I recommend this whole heartedly. I honestly thought we were never going to get this habit under control and in a short time it has stopped altogether! |
Works like a charm!
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| Review Date: February 8, 2008 |
| Reviewer: M. Hoxworth, |
| Used for my 2 yr old daughter's finger sucking...I only had to put it on once and she actually only tasted it maybe twice! Very effective! Super-fast shipping too - thanks! |
stop thumb-sucking for good!
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| Review Date: February 13, 2008 |
| Reviewer: J. Empey, Las Vegas |
| WOW! What a great product! My 3-year-old son stopped sucking his thumb permanently after just 2 weeks! Quick and effective! |
Definitely helped me!
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| Review Date: February 13, 2008 |
| Reviewer: R. Lehmann, Boulder, CO USA |
| I am a 22yo female and have been biting my nails since I can remember. I have tried a million times to quit, but the second my life got stressful, bam, nails gone. I wasn't sure about this product, but gave it a try and it has definitely helped me so far. The taste is bad and lingers for ages, so you learn quickly to keep your hands far from your mouth. I recommend it! |
Mavala works. It tastes horrible!
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| Review Date: February 14, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Karen A. Miller, OH |
| As soon as I paint this on my children's nails they stop biting them. The bad taste lingers in your mouth, yuck. It takes a long time to wear away. Also keeps them from eating their dinner with their hands. Beware string cheese! If you pick at your cheese with your painted nails it will taste horrible as well! : ) Helps them keep their germy hands away from their mouth just in time for flu season. I'm buying my second bottle right now, it really works. |
Great product
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| Review Date: February 26, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Jodi Gallagher, |
| My 4 year old son has been sucking his thumb for as long as I can remember. My husband and I have tried everything but with no success. We used Mavala Stop 2 weeks ago and he hasn't sucked on his thumb since. You should give this product a try. My husband would also bite onhis finger nails from time to time while @ work and decided to give it a try as well. He has stopped as well! Go Mavaala |
stopped thumb sucking
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| Review Date: February 27, 2008 |
| Reviewer: S. JULAKANTI, la |
| My daughter is 15 months old and stopped thumb sucking after using this mavala stop. |
IT WORKS!!
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| Review Date: March 17, 2008 |
| Reviewer: R. Edwards, Southfield, MI |
MY SON IS 21 MONTHS OLD AND HE HAS SUCKED BOTH OF HIS THUMBS SINCE HE WAS 5 MONTHS OLD. HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN COMFORTED BY SUCKING HIS THUMBS, SO AS THE MONTHS PROGRESSED IT BECAME WORSE AND WORSE. HE BEGIN TEETHING EARLY SO I BECAME WORRIED AND THEN ONE DAY I NOTICED THAT MY SONS TEETH STARTED TO BUCK OUT A BIT. I WENT ONLINE AND CAME ACROSS THIS PRODUCT AND AS SOON AS I RECIEVED IT IN THE MAIL I OPENED IT AND PUT IT ON BOTH OF HIS THUMBS. THIS STUFF REALLY WORKS!!! AS SOON AS HE PUT HIS THUMB IN HIS MOUTH HE IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT OUT. I HAVE BEEN PUTTING IT ON EVERYDAY FOR 2 WEEKS NOW AND MY SON HAS NOT SUCKED HIS THUMB. HOWEVER, AT NIGHT WHILE HE IS SLEEPING I HAVE NOTICED HIM SUCKING IT, ONLY BECAUSE HE WAS SLEEPING AND DID NOT NOTICE THE TASTE...I ASSUME. THEREFORE, I MAKE SURE THAT I CONTINUE TO PUT SOCKS ON HIS HANDS AT NIGHT SO THAT HE WON'T MAKE THAT MISTAKE.
THIS PRODUCT IS SO WORTH IT. THE FIRST WEEK WAS VERRRYYY ROUGH BECAUSE HE WENT THROUGH WITHDRAWALS. IT'S JUST LIKE TAKING A BABY'S BOTTLE OR PACIFIER AWAY, YOU JUST HAVE TO STICK WITH IT. THIS PRODUCT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR YOUR THUMB SUCKER. IT BEATS SPENDING THOUSANDS ON BRACES IN THE YEARS TO COME. |
Cured...
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| Review Date: March 25, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Richard Hopley, Dallas, TX USA |
| Cured my daughter of thumb sucking in 3 days. 3 DAYS. After months of cajoling, bribes, etc. We used it as a 'reminder,' not a punishment, however, and my daughter was grateful for it. (And her teeth straightened back in a week!) |
I am still in shock!
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| Review Date: March 27, 2008 |
| Reviewer: V. Parker, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida United States |
I must share our story regarding this product. My daughter is five years old and comes from a very long line of thumb-suckers (three generations that I know of). I (her Mom) am shamed to admit I sucked my thumb until age 15 when braces prevented the practice.
So when my daughter broke her thumb-sucking arm seven months ago, we thought surely having to wear a cast for four weeks would effortlessly break the habit for us. We were very disappointed when as soon as the cast came off, the habit immediately continued. I began to research other methods to help break the habit. I found two devices which are placed over the hand/thumb, and was having such a difficult time trying to choose one that I never got around to ordering either of them. Then one day my daughter came home from school and asked me if I had ordered the thumb cover to help her stop sucking her thumb. So that day, I prepared to order both devices when my husband pointed out if wearing a cast for four weeks didn't break the habit, neither will any other device we applied. He made a valid point. However after reading some of the reviews for Mavala Stop I was concerned this was too strong and bordered on "child abuse" as one reviewer put it. Even my own Mom had applied a few products to my thumb as a child, but I simply washed it off. Out of desperation we ordered it, of course tasting it before applying it to our child. But the miracle is, it worked! My daughter has not sucked her thumb since that day now five months ago. We even prepared for middle of the night awakenings (some parents recommended having juice near the bed with which to rinse out the taste) but we didn't even have those issues! The taste is unpleasant, but not so much that I would call it child abuse by any means. Some people may have a stronger reaction to this product than others, so I am not discrediting those who feel this product is too bitter. But I absolutely suggest trying it. The cost makes it a very inexpensive trial. At the risk of sounding corny: One bottle of Mavala Stop- eight dollars; Having my daughter feel proud of herself for breaking a very difficult and embarrassing habit, PRICELESS. Good luck to you all- Mrs. P |
Awesome product
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| Review Date: March 30, 2008 |
| Reviewer: M. Crawford, Irvine, CA |
I've been biting my nails for as long as I can remember (I'm 22) and after using this I finally have stopped! I have been using it over the past few weeks and haven't had to reapply it the last few days and have had no urge to bite them.
The taste is so bitter and long lasting that it makes flossing or eating some finger foods very difficult. But, I just toughed it out and flossed anyways.
Thank you Mavala for making such a wonderful product! I never thought I'd be able to stop biting my nails. Only problem now is that I have long nails and don't know what to do with them! |
Stopped the thumb sucking in one day!
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| Review Date: April 5, 2008 |
| Reviewer: mbmutty, southeast USA |
| This stuff must taste terrible (I won't try it!) because my daughters stopped sucking their thumbs after the first application. It's been over 2 months since we first used it and we've had no relapses. It really worked! |
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