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Those things at the tips of your fingers--you call them
fingernails--are made from the same structural building
blocks as horses' hooves, bird talons, bear claws, and
rhinoceros' horns, as well as hair and skin. No one is quite
sure how these cells differentiate to form structures as
diverse as the elastic outer layer of skin, the stiff scales
of fish, or the softness of feathers.
As children, your fingernails and toenails grow an
average of two inches per year. But as you age, your nails
grow more slowly. The average adult fingernails grow about
an inch in eight months.
The biggest enemies to healthy fingernails are
overexposure to soap and water says Marta VanBeek, M.D. UI
Dermatology. "Your nails, like your skin can dry out, so rub
a thick skin moisturizer into your nails to keep them
healthy, or you might consider wearing protective gloves."
If you use polish, the pigment and dyes in the polish can
penetrate your nails so they take on a yellowish color. An
occasional break from using nail polish can restore nails to
their natural color.. In addition to nail polish, nicotine
stain from smoking causes fingernails to turn yellow. If you
use nail polish, use nail polish remover sparingly because
the acetone can damage your nails.
Nail care tips:
- Keep nails clean and dry.
- Don't bite your fingernails.
- Cut your nails straight across and rounded slightly
at the corners. Don't file them to a point. That makes
them weaker.
- Use a fine textured file to keep nails shaped and
free from snags.
- Eat plenty of protein and biotin which can be found
in meats, fish, milk, and eggs.
- If you have an ingrown toenail, don't try to "dig it
out" yourself, especially if your nails are already
infected or sore.
If you have a health-related question, or to make an
appointment, call UI
Health Access - 800- 777-8442 or 384-8442.
More information:
Listed above are several Web sites that offer additional
information on this topic. University of Iowa Health Care
does not sponsor or endorse these sites, or guarantee the
accuracy of the information contained on these sites. These
links are here for general information only, and should not
be used for personal diagnosis or treatment. If you have any
questions, please contact UI
Health Access.
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