How and at what rate do nails grow?

It would seem that this is in the usual parts of the body - nails, but there are even whole sections of science devoted to their study. Anatomy of the nail is not as simple as it seems. Our nails perform important functions. The main one is protective. We will talk about how the nails on a person’s hands should grow and form correctly, we will understand the possible causes of deviations from the norms, and we will reveal the secrets of preventive measures for healing and strengthening.

Nail is not at all a simple part of the body. No matter how familiar his device may seem, this is not so in reality. A nail is a corneal formation similar to a claw or hoof of an animal. Its location is the nail bed, from where it grows.

The primary source of the firm ending of the fingers is the matrix (matrix). This part is responsible for the formation of new nail tissues; plate growth begins with it. The second base of the nail is the root. It is located in the nail crack. The part we see is the body of the nail itself and the free edge (the part that grows over time). The root is large enough: it reaches 25-30% of the visible length of the nail plate. Several blood vessels, which are responsible for its nutrition and healthy natural color, are suitable for the nail bed, or rather, for its matrix. The folds of skin located on both sides are called nail rolls.

The well-known word "cuticle" means a thin layer of skin that attaches skin folds to the nail and holds the nail plate in place in the bed in the region of the free edge. The cuticle protects the nail from getting infections and harmful bacteria. The structure of the nails on the arms and legs is no different, except for the shape.There are also differences in the functional set: for example, on the hands they are designed to perform laborious, complex small movements, improve the fine motor skills of the fingers, and on the legs the main purpose is to protect the fingers from minor damage. Today, nails also carry an aesthetic burden: well-groomed fingers and toes have become an indispensable attribute of a self-respecting woman. The male population has recently also not rejected the beauty industry of hands.

Human nails grow throughout life. They have the ability to regenerate and completely regrow with serious injury. Exception: significant damage or complete destruction of the nail matrix will completely stop the growth and development of the stratum corneum. The average thickness of a person’s nail is 0.3-0.4 millimeters. Note that the thickness of the representatives of the stronger sex is slightly higher than that of the fair half of humanity. But such an indicator as the growth rate is exactly the opposite: female marigolds grow much faster than male ones. These two main parameters are also influenced by the age of the person, the characteristics of his profession, daily actions performed by hands.

Nail growth begins with cell division in the matrix. So-called onychoblasts are formed there. Onychoblasts are cells identical to each other. An adult mother cell is divided into two: one of them will remain functioning in the matrix further, and the second moves up. This process is repeated again and again. Newly formed cells displace old cells, which determines the growth of the nail forward by the free edge.

Initially, new cells have a round shape and a whitish hue. Their clusters can be seen: white semicircles at the base of the nail - the lunula (or dimples, as we call them easier). In the process of life of new cells, chemical changes are carried out inside them, under the influence of which their visual shape and color changes. Nails are laid back in the period of fetal development of the fetus, and then growth continues in the process of life. The growth rate may vary depending on the time of year, the method of nutrition, heredity, the presence of diseases.

The average growth rate of the nail in the normal state is 1 millimeter per week. That is, in a month a healthy person grows by about 0.5 cm. On the toes, they grow somewhat slower than on the fingers. If the nail plate is completely removed, then the regeneration will take on average about six months. The growth rate of the nail plate is influenced by many factors. The main ones include:

• age;
• the presence of chronic diseases;
• drug use;
• finger injuries;
• heredity.

It is believed that nails grow in humans throughout life. But it is not so. If you completely stop cutting the overgrown part, then after some time the growth will slow down significantly. Having reached a certain length, the nails will stop growing at all. This is confirmed by those who fell into the Guinness Book of Records. The growth rate is also affected by the particular finger in question. There is a pattern identified by scientists: the longer the fingers themselves are in a person, the more he has a nail growth rate. It was also revealed that on the thumb and little finger the growth of the nail plate is slower than on the others.

Ideally, the nails should have a flat surface, a healthy color, the correct geometric shape.For various reasons, sometimes not depending on the person himself, they can grow incorrectly (bend down or up, have external defects, grow crookedly, in waves in width, long or not grow at all). Deformation of the nail plate - various kinds of changes on the surface of the nail, which are caused by external and internal causes. More often than others, there are such disadvantages as:

• the presence of grooves (longitudinal or transverse);
• excessive bulge of the nail;
• spoon-shaped nail plate with hollows;
• nails are flat in shape.

Children of different ages often have spoon-shaped nails. Such a defect is called coilonychia. This deviation in childhood does not require special treatment. For children, this is a normal phenomenon that will pass with age: as the body grows, the nail plates will take on a natural healthy appearance and color. A common occurrence in infants is the so-called Bo line, brittle and brittle nails, pigment spots on the nail plates. Children's immunity, which has not fully formed, may not protect the child from fungal bacteria. Many factors can contribute to this, including domestic ones, or diseases of internal organs.

A child cannot be allowed to walk barefoot in crowded places. Do not wear someone else’s shoes; you should wash hosiery more often, since sweating your legs creates favorable conditions for the reproduction of harmful bacteria and fungi. Close or uncomfortable baby shoes, accidental injuries, contact with a carrier of a fungal disease can also contribute to nail deformation. The health of children's fingers is also affected by a lack of vitamins and minerals in the body. Calcium and iron are especially important in this regard: it is their lack that causes changes in the structure of the nails in the child.

The fair sex is more of a concern to nails than anyone. Ladies of all ages today strive to keep pens in order. One of the causes of problems with nails can be improper care or its complete absence. Contamination or, on the contrary, excessive diligence, leading to injury to the nail and the skin around it, can cause pathogenic microbes. These bacteria can ultimately damage your nails and cause them to deform. Women can suffer from unsightly nails and because their hands are often affected by home cleaning products. Many are uncomfortable doing gloved household chores, which is why delicate hands suffer in the end.

The desire to always be fashionable and in heels sometimes leads to unpleasant consequences in the form of bending of toenails. Inconvenient, foot-tight shoes, high heels - all these are factors for the development of unpleasant symptoms and diseases. Most often, the thumb nail suffers. The beauty industry makes its contribution in the sense that sometimes because of the frequent extension procedures, excessive decoration, the nails become thin, weakened, uneven. Therefore, women should carefully choose salons and masters for such procedures, as well as be careful when choosing cosmetics for the care of hands and nails.

Often you can hear the phrase that our nails reflect the internal state of the body. Therefore, it is important to monitor the health, properly care for them. Not everyone is scrupulous about their hands and follow the simple recommendations of doctors on care and hygiene, which ultimately leads to the most sad consequences. There are absolutely simple preventative measures that will help prevent nail problems: it’s better to prevent trouble than to treat it later. In a humid environment, fungi and bacteria spread much faster. Hence the conclusion: keep your hands and nails dry.

In today's world, stress and anxiety are haunted at every turn, and many people become accustomed to biting their nails. Firstly, it is unpleasant for others, and secondly, it is harmful and dangerous to health! The aesthetic appearance of the hands will be clearly damaged, in addition, you risk placing dangerous bacteria not only in the area of ​​the nail bed, but also swallowing them, causing an upset gastrointestinal tract. Note that this habit belongs to the category of nervous diseases - visit the appropriate doctor.

If you moisturize the growing area of ​​the cuticle on the fingers every day, then the nails will clearly thank you. Vitamin E is especially important: it is a source of nutrition for the nail plate and a natural antioxidant. When removing decorative varnish from the surface of the nail plate, try to use products that do not contain acetone - it dries very much. Watch your diet. Balancing, diversity, eating enough vegetables and fruits will clearly benefit not only your hands, but the whole body. The lack of vitamins and minerals primarily affects the nails, hair and skin of a person.

Maintain the body's water balance: drink a daily norm of water (namely water!) per day. This is approximately 1.5-2 liters. At the same time, soups, tea and coffee are not included. If you notice problems with the nails on the hands or feet, ingrown plates, then in no case do self-medication - immediately contact the right specialist. Do cosmetic procedures, manicures and pedicures only in those salons and studios that are time-tested. This is a list of the simplest recommendations and tips that will help to avoid troubles with the health of nails. Following them is not so difficult.

See how to grow nails and why they are hard in the next video.