What Are Your Nails Made Of?

Your Nails!

You may not think much about your nails, unless you're deciding what colour to paint them or someone's telling you to trim them. So you may actually find it hard to believe that your nails serve an actual purpose! You see, the hard surface of your nails helps to protect the tips of your fingers and toes. Needless to say, fingernails are also particularly useful for itching or removing something from your clothing etc.!

Nails themselves are made of what's called keratin. This is the same substance your body uses to grow hair, as well as the top layer of your skin. You had fingernails and toenails before you were even born! So where did they come from? It may look like your nails start growing where your U-shaped cuticle begins but, beneath the surface, there's actually a lot more going on than you might think! Nails actually start in the nail root, hidden under the cuticle.

When cells at the root of the nail grow, the new nail cells push out the old nail cells. These old cells flatten and harden thanks to keratin. The newly-formed nail then slides along the nail bed (the flat surface under your nails). The nail bed sits on top of tiny blood vessels that feed it, in turn giving your nails their naturally pink colour.

Your fingernails grow pretty slowly. In fact, they only grow about one tenth of an inch (2.5 millimetres) each month! At that rate, it can take about three to six months to completely replace a nail.

As most of you, if not all of you, will know, the cuticle is the bit where your nail meets your skin. Cuticles help to protect the new nail as it grows out from the nail root. The lunula (which comes from the Latin word meaning 'moon') is the pale crescent shape just above the cuticle. You may have noticed that your lunula is easiest to spot on your thumb than on the rest of your fingers.

Fingernails should be trimmed straight across and slightly rounded at the top edges. Having nicely trimmed nails can actually keep you from biting or picking at them which can lead to infections- ever noticed that? We at Candy Nails recommend using a clipper from the Tweezerman range. To smooth jagged edges, why not use our Tweezerman pocket ceramic nail file- it's portable, making it practical, and can even be hooked onto your key chain!

It's also a good idea to moisturise nails and cuticles regularly. A bit of hand lotion will usually do the trick but if you think that your nails deserve only the best, then you might want to check out Creative Nail Design's 'Solar Oil' which is packed full of natural oils and essential vitamins!

Some of you may get your fingernails and toenails cut and polished by a professional. Manicures (TLC for your hands) and pedicures (treatment for your feet) are popular services among the female generation. While carried out by skilled professionals, you'll want to ensure that the salon you're at follows strict guidelines regarding the cleaning of its tools, as well as the stations where hands and feet get washed, trimmed, buffed and polished.

To prevent infections or otherwise at manicure/pedicure salons, experts actually recommend you take your own pair of clippers along with other tools you may be need. This way you won't be exposed to bacteria that can linger on the tools used on the hands and feet of other people!

Most of the time, your nails are healthy and pink without cause for worry. Sometimes, however, nails can have problems. Some of the most common among kids include:

• ingrown nail: when the nail curves down and into the skin causing pain, and sometimes even an infection
• nail injury: when you drop something on one of your toes or you catch your finger in a drawer or between the door hinge (which if you're a parent you'll know is a very common occurrence among young children!), a bruise may appear under the nail and sometimes the nail falls off. A new one does grow in its place but this often takes time.
• Nail deformity: this is when the nail isn't smooth as it should be. People who have a habit of biting their nails or picking at them can have this problem, which can often turn into an illness.
• Hangnail: when a loose strip of dead skin hangs from the edge of a fingernail. We all suffer from them and they do hurt if you pull them off. They hurt especially if you're using nail polish remover on your nails and accidentally wipe over the hangnail- ouch!

Most of these problems can be handled and resolved at home. It is the bigger issues involving infections and serious nail injuries that might require consultation with a doctor. Symptoms of a nail infection can include pain, redness, puffiness and maybe some pus- not exactly pleasant! So don't hesitate to call your GP if you're suffering from any of these tell-tale signs.

Don't be surprised if your doctor examines your nails at your next check up! Nails actually provide excellent clues to a person's overall health. For instance, when a doctor presses your nails, he or she is checking your blood circulation. By looking at your nails, they may find changes that might be associated with skin problems, lung disease, anaemia, among other medical conditions. Your nails are in the know!

Don't forget that your nails need just as much TLC as your hair or face does and a lack of tender loving care does not go unnoticed! We at Candy Nails stock an extensive range of candy food and other essential nail goodies so be sure to check them out to keep your nails in top form :)