A fingernail is made up of living skin cells of a finger. It consists of several parts, including the nail plate (the visible portion of the nail), the nail bed (the skin beneath the nail plate), the cuticle (the tissue that overlaps the plate and rims the bottom of the nail), the nail folds (the skin folds that frame and support the nail on three sides), the lunula (the whitish half-moon at the bottom of the nail) and also the matrix (the hidden a part of the nail unit under the cuticle).
Fingernails grow from the matrix. Nails are composed of keratin, a hardened protein. As new cells grow in the matrix, the older cells are pushed out, compacted, flattened, and hardened to form the fingernail.
The average growth rate of nails is 0.1 mm per day. The growth rate depends on numerous factors, including the age and sex of the individual and season. Fingernails generally grow faster in young males and the summer season.
Fingernails grow faster compared to toenails. The fingernails on the right hand of a righthanded person grow faster when compared to the left hand, and vice versa. (#)
Fascinating facts on fingernails
1. Your nails grow about 3 - 4 millimeters per month. That's a rate of roughly 0.1 millimeters each day.
2. Fingernails grow faster during summer. Do you know why? There are a few different theories. One theory is that individuals absorb more nutrients during the summer, as they're more likely to drink plenty of water on a hot summer day. Another theory is that since sunlight exposure causes your body to form vitamin D, the rise in vitamin D leads to your nails growing faster. (#)
3. Toenails grow at roughly half the rate of fingernails, around 1.6 millimeters a month.
4. The habit of biting fingernails is medically termed Onychophagia. It's estimated that 25-30% of kids are having the habit of nail-biting.
5. Your hair and nails are made up of the same protein. They are both made of Keratin; however, your nails are much stronger than your hair because of the difference within the arrangement of Keratin molecules: which provides your nails more resilient properties.
6. Your nails do not breathe. Nails aren't alive to start with so that they don’t have to breathe.
7. Stress can affect the growth of your nails. Stress is one factor that will inhibit your nail growth. However, your nails will grow again.
8. Fingernails need blood to survive. Blood flow is important for nail health and growth, as this is often how nails get their key nutrients. Your fingernails can actually temporarily stop growing when there's an injury preventing them from getting proper blood flow.
9. Fingernails cannot sweat. The nail bed does not contain any sweat glands, so the fingernails do not sweat.
10. Nails are a window to the entire body. A well-trained dermatologist can tell about your overall health just by examining the nails. From nail bed discoloration (blueish means lung disease) to capillaries within the cuticles (autoimmune disease) to yellow, white, or banded nails, sometimes severe and life-threatening diseases can be diagnosed just by examining the tip of the fingers. (#)
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