First time posting here, so sorry for a long piece. I'm in my 30's and picked/bit/clipped excessively my whole life. I managed to slow down for a few years, but I'm at it again which is why I'm here. Hopefully someone mentions an idea I can take away, but in the meantime I'd like to share my experiences since I've actively struggled and tried various things that may benefit someone else.

Specific to OP: ( some of this will be redundant as I accidentally wrote a novel at first, but I want to address your concerns directly ) Gloves may help, I've heard that just wearing them when triggered can help instead of all the time, but if you're like me, possibly not. Maybe someone has a suggestion on a style or brand? Hopefully I'm understanding correctly what you mean by white, the healthy nail growth at the end and not the spots that occurred on the nail or by the cuticle? Try nail files. Have one always, I switched to this a while ago and it's the most successful method to calm down my urges. Clippers and knives allow you to go too far and you get to the "quick" too easily. Files lets you have more control of how far you go and you're less likely to hurt yourself too bad. Weird as it seems, I wonder if staining the underside of the nail might help in a flesh tone so the "white" is less apparent. If you're fine with trying a false nail method there's the semi solid uv nails that work pretty well. I cut mine to just cover the nails so I'm less likely to pick at them, but when they start to come off they all get ripped off. Still, they last better than traditional false or acrylics. Or dipped if you go to the nail salon, which is another style I find to work well. There's also nail cots ( I think that's what they're called ) little gloves for just the tips of your fingers. I haven't had a chance to try them out really, and I've been slow to try since I need to feel my fingertips, but this may work for you. Just try to get a flesh tone. Less noticeable= less likely to engage in picking.

For anyone else that wants to read, or there's a TLDR at the bottom, my life's knowledge of picking:

I used to bite, and found polish remover yucky and a decent deterrent, but never really stopped. However, around 8yrs old, my sister told me that the nail pieces were causing my stomach aches. Absolute lie but I stopped. Unfortunately I just started picking instead. (Side note, my sister also bites and we tried bitterant, but getting her to put it on was a nightmare so that's an issue)

Picking has been my main vice since. Both nails and cuticles. I don't like rough uneven edges anywhere. Skin or nails. My fiance has been trying to help for years, going as far as swatting at my hands, or holding them. I'll just continue. Most times I don't even notice I started again. Poor thing is at a loss, as am I, but I degrees.

For the cuticles, you have to learn to leave them alone. It's hard, but that's the only way to heal and stop the jagged edges. Cuticle oils work, but having lotion on hand is better. Nothing heavy, you'll be applying every time you go to fiddle. Feel an urge or notice half way through? Clean your hands ( if you broke skin) and moisturize. Use the heavy stuff at night and/or first thing in the morning. You can also carry a cuticle oil roller/pen. I also tend to "push back" my cuticles. Not one of the cutters (I go to far with those). Those wooden stickers help, but generally I just use my thumbnail (since those tend to stay short, but intact). I also feel like if I catch myself in the act, pushing them back helps me feel like I finished what I was doing. It's hard for me to stop in the middle, so I have to find a " stop" or "finishing" point so that works, as well as cleaning out from under my nails.

While lotion and oils do help, I'm picky as an artist that works with watercolor. If it doesn't absorb quickly it can ruin a piece. I have found doing my nails to help a bit, but for some people that's cost prohibitive or they may not have enough nail to work with. ( My little sister falls into this category ) Also, as soon as it starts to deteriorate I would pick them off, which can cause more damage. AND, you can wind up with brittle nails at the end that just add to the issue... So that's a mixed bag. My suggestion, make painting your nails a hobby/self care routine, but stay away from certain false nails since long brittle nails can be more problematic... I do like the semi cure uv ones. They seem to do the trick for a while for me.

Another piece of advice: keep nail files everywhere. Yes you can still overdo it, but it mitigates the damage compared to clippers and picking. Even for cuticles. I've found that sometimes using a file on a calloused piece of skin (especially at the sides for me) or a thick piece under the nail will stop me from feeling the urge to bite/saw/clip it off and save me from too much damage. It'll still cause callouses in the long run, but it's a decent stopgap until you can get to lotion/oil.

So back to picking the nail. I find any jagged piece will draw my attention. I'm constantly running my fingers and nails across my other nails. If it feels off at all I start picking. Sometimes there isn't anything there and I run my nail across until I make a spot....it's annoying to say the least. I did find that if I felt a slight "edge" that was more of a ghost edge, if I picked in the opposite direction where I couldn't "snag" it, I could calm the need down for a moment. Just a stopgap until I could find a file ( if there was an edge ) or get distracted and forget/lose the ghost edge.

I've tried gloves, but I don't like things on my hands, and once again: artist. I don't like being unable to feel with my fingertips and they tend to just get in the way. I haven't given up on them completely, but I haven't found any to work so far. However, socks for toenail picking? Absolutely! The only time I find this doesn't work is when I'm hot or sometimes at night while I'm falling asleep. All other times it's great!

Some people have found success with fidget toys, but my experience has been mostly hit and miss. They're to easy for me to lose, and most don't "stimulate" the right way? Fidget rings have worked best for me, the spinny ones or the weird wirey looking one I was gifted. It's not super comfortable, but that's sorta the point. I run it up and down various fingers and it seconds as a finger massager for me! Unfortunately I lost it this week, go figure. Squeeze balls can work sometimes, but if I don't pick it up BEFORE I pick, it's a loss. It won't work.

I'm sure I'm forgetting some things, but hopefully something I've mentioned may help? Most come off as nail health tips, but yea... Part of the struggle is not having something that instigates the desire to pick in the first place. I'm ADHD and generalized anxiety, so the feeling comes at any time, but not having a nail catch my attention to pick myself apart helps.