Ten things you never knew about your nails

Its not often we think about our nails but biologically they are a bit of a miracle, protecting the ends of our digits. So in appreciation of them, here are 10 facts you probably never knew about your nails.

1. Fingernails grow twice as fast as your toenails at about 2-3mm a month.

2. Nails grow quicker during the day.

3. Nails are made from the same protein which makes our skin – keratin. Chemically though, it has a slightly different configuration which makes it harder.

4. The more you traumatise a nail the quicker it will grow. That’s why nail biters have faster nail growth than none biters.

5. Nails grow thicker as we age but repeated stubbing of the toe or hard blows to the nail can cause it to deform and thicken faster.

6. An onychotillomaniac is the medical term for someone who bites their nails.

7. White spots in your nail are supposed to indicate a lack of calcium but, in reality, there is very little calcium in the nail!

8. The half-moon of the nail is actually called the lunula (named after the moon itself).

9. If you leave a nail untrimmed, eventually its free edge will follow the shape of the nails half moon (lunula).

10. The cuticle of the nail is a biological seal which can keep bugs out of the nail so try not to push it back!