Essentially, nails primarily serve as a source of protection for the tips of your fingers, which are medically termed “distal phalanges”. This area needs protection because thousands of nerve endings are concentrated within your fingertips, which serve as one of our main five senses – “touch”.

Termed accessory organs of the skin, nails are made of sheets of dead keratinocytes. The keratin in nails makes them hard but flexible. Nails serve a number of purposes, not only protecting the digits but enhancing sensations and acting like tools.

In order to serve their purpose though, your nails need to be healthy.  Healthy, natural nails are usually pinkish to skin-colored, but can vary in shape and appearance according to a person’s genetic makeup.  

Nail growth is a slow and gradual process, in which longer appendages grow faster than shorter ones. Fingernails grow three times faster than toenails, and growth among the fingernails is relative to length, with the middle finger growing the fastest.

Nail growth rate is determined by intrinsic factors (e.g., genetic and hereditary aspects, age, and gender) and also by extrinsic conditions (diet, exercise, and the seasons). In fact, nails tend to grow slower in the winter than in the summer due to the abundance of vitamin D from the sun. 

            ————  Fun fact:  The nail is the largest skin appendage. ————

 So let’s talk nail anatomy…

Each nail has three main parts: the root, plate, and free margin. Other structures around or under the nail include the nail bed, cuticle, and nail fold.

Nail terms defined: 

Nail root : the visible hard part of the nail found under the surface of the skin at the end of the nail. It is where the nail begins.

Nail plate : The nail plate, sometimes referred to as the nail body, is the visible hard nail area from the nail root to the free edge, made of translucent keratin protein.

Free margin : The part of a nail, such as a fingernail or toenail, that extends past the flesh of the finger or toe.

Nail bed: the pinkish-colored soft tissue beneath the nail plate.

Cuticle : a delicate layer of clear skin located along the bottom edge of your finger or toe. The cuticle function is to protect new nails from bacteria when they grow out from the nail root.

Nail fold: the skin that frames each of your nail plates on three sides. It attaches the nail to the rest of the skin through the protective cuticle.

Overall, the cells at the base of your nail bed produce the fingernail or toenail plate. Therefore, it’s important to keep your nails healthy and to do so, here are a few tips for healthy, natural nails:

• STAY HYDRATED - Without adequate moisture, nails can become brittle and break and peel easily. Drinking enough water helps them to retain moisture and stay strong.

• USE NON-ACETONE REMOVER — Many nail polishes or treatments contain harsh chemicals that can actually weaken nails. Nail polish remover that contains acetone should be avoided since it can damage nails. There some great acetone free options out there like a Soy Based Polish Remover. 

• GIVE YOUR NAILS A BREAK FROM POLISH - After wearing nail polish for a week or so, remove the nail polish with an acetone-free polish remover, and then let your nails benefit from a Nail Strengthener along with a nightly routine of cuticle oil.  

• EAT HEALTHY - Make sure you’re eating a nutrient-dense and varied diet, as well as taking a multivitamin with minerals.  Taking a biotin supplement can help — also known as vitamin H and vitamin B7, Biotin is one of the B vitamins. Because it’s water-soluble, it isn’t stored by the body, so you have to ensure that you consume it daily.

 Three cheers to healthy, natural nails and our magnificent sense of touch!