10 Facts about your nails

Here I've compiled a list of 10 facts about our nails, some are obvious, some are weird & hopefully some will help you :)


*Nails are actually the same as hair. Both hair and nails are made of the same protein, called keratin.

*The nail plates are dead cells and contrary to the popular belief, they don't breathe. So they don't require oxygen. However, the nail beds and the cuticles are live cells and they do need oxygen, vitamins and minerals.


*Nails grow at different speeds on both hands. If you are right-handed, the nails on your right hand will grow faster than the nails on your left hand and vice versa.


*The fastest growing nail is on the middle finger. The slowest – on the thumbnail.


*Nails grow at the rate of 0.1 mm daily (or 1 cm in every 100 days). So, for a finger nail to regrow completely, it takes between 4 and 6 months. For toe nails, the period of complete regrow is 12 to 18 months.


*Dry nails can be improved by increasing your water intake.


*Nails grow faster in warm sunny climates than in cold dark places. If you must bite your nails, move to Southern California :)


*The light coloured crescent moon part of your nail is called the lunula. It's where nail cells are formed, and usually it'll be biggest on your thumb, and smallest on the little finger.


*Your nails look pink because they're see-through! As your nail grows from the base, the older cells (nearer the tip) are flattened and turn translucent, which is why your nail tends to be whiter at the base. The pink colour comes from the blood in the skin under your nail.


*The idea of colouring nails for cosmetic reasons has been around for about 5000 years! The first colours popularly used were (as you might've guessed) various shades of red.