Does anyone know what fingernails are made of? I always thought they were made of hair!?

Answer 1

In anatomy, a nail is a horn-like piece at the end of a human's or an animal's finger or toe.

Fingernails and toenails, which are made of a tough protein called keratin and are a form of modified hair, are made up of many different parts

Nails grow at an average rate of 0.1mm a day (1 cm every 100 days). Fingernails require 4 to 6 months to regrow completely. Toenails require 12 to 18 months. Actual growth rate is dependent upon age, season, exercise level, and hereditary factors.

This growth record can show the history of recent health and physiological imbalances, and has been used as a diagnostic tool since ancient times. Major illness will cause a deep horizontal groove to form in the nails. Miscoloration, thinning, thickening, brittleness, splitting, grooves, Mee's lines, small white spots, receded lunula, clubbing (convex), flatness, spooning (concave) can indicate illness in other areas of the body, nutrient deficiencies, drug reaction or poisoning, or merely local injury. Nails can also become thickened (onychogryphosis), loosened (onycholysis), infected with fungus (onychomycosis) or degenerative (onychodystrophy); for further information see nail diseases.

Health and care
Nails can dry out, just like skin. They can also be infected: toe infections, for instance, can come from dirty socks, certain types of aggressive exercise as well as walking unprotected in an unclean environment.

Manicures and pedicures are health and cosmetic procedures to groom, trim, and paint the nails and manage callouses. They require various tools such as cuticle scissors, nail scissors, nail clippers, and nail files.

However, nail salons use tools that potentially infect people. Regarding nail tools such as files, "If they're used on different people, these tools may spread nail fungi, staph bacteria or viruses", warns Rick Lopes, a spokesperson for the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. In fact, over 100 bacterial skin infections in 2000 were traced to footbaths in nail salons.

Answer 2

They are made of Keratin, I believe anyways! Which also makes up your hair. You are probably thinking "hair is dead like fingernails"!

Answer 3

Yes, surprisingly enough they are made of a tough protein called keratin and are a form of modified hair. Now, that makes me imagine people dying their nails blonde and painting their hair peach and adding white to the tips!

Answer 4

Fingernails and toenails are made out of enamel, which is the same thing your teeth are made of, except obviously not as thick on your nails.

Answer 5

the secret's that every time you wash them, you get below the nails. it is common. All those nails capture a large number of stuff, and so no, it is not which you're grimy, this is only the failings you touch are grimy or only get caught below. Nails do want maintenance whilst it includes retaining them clean. Everytime after i bypass to the showering room, i exploit a toothbrush only for my nails, yet they have nail brushes too so yeah. And nail biting is a foul habit! you are able to fall unwell that way! you does not lick your palms devoid of understanding they are clean might you? then you definately shouldn't bite your nails, they convey about all varieties of nasty.

Answer 6

Hi, they are made of Keratin it's the same substance that makes hair.

Answer 7

Believe it or not, it is made of ivory.

You may be thinking of the ivory of an elephant's tusk.

Again, you're right, it is because of the thickness of the tusk compared to our nails that we are decieved of this fact.

Answer 8

A tough protein called keratin.

Answer 9

keratin and hair - my podiatrist reckons that inhaling a lot of nail dust can cause cancer!!! she reckons too that really really large amounts of naildust kept over a long period of time can also become explosive

Answer 10

The are just a mineral build up....same as your hair.