How fast do fingers grow

But there's more going on under the surface. Nails 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, a protein made by these cells.

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 and give your nails their pink color. Your fingernails grow slowly — in fact, they grow about one tenth of an inch 2. At that rate it can take about 3 to 6 months to completely replace a nail. Where your nail meets your skin is your cuticle. Cuticles help to protect the new nail as it grows out from the nail root. The lunula say: LOON-yuh-luh — which comes from the Latin word for "moon" — is that pale half circle just above the cuticle.

Your lunula is easiest to see on your thumbnails. You might need an adult to help you trim your fingernails and toenails, which can be a little challenging. A nail clipper or a pair of nail scissors may be used. To smooth jagged edges, you can use a nail file or emery board, which works like sandpaper. Fingernails should be trimmed straight across and slightly rounded at the top.

Having nicely trimmed nails can keep you from biting or picking at them, which can lead to infections. It's also a good idea to moisturize nails and cuticles regularly. A little hand lotion or moisturizer will do the trick.

Because toenails are slowpokes they don't grow nearly as fast as fingernails , they don't need to be trimmed as often. Teachers and students forget that the ability to palpate is not the same as the ability to feel.

As a gentle countercurrent, I set forth here this most recent five-year installment of the observations of thegrowth of my left thumbnail. It is a very long record of the growth of human deciduous tissue. Its duration has little precedent in clinical medicine or human natural history. Still, the nail provides a slowly moving keratin kymograph that measures age on the inexorable abscissa of time. Register or Log In.

The Magazine Shop. Login Register Stay Curious Subscribe. Seriously, Science? Newsletter Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news. Sign Up. Already a subscriber? Author: Healthwise Staff. Medical Review: William H.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.

Updated visitor guidelines. You are here Home » Nail Problems and Injuries. Topic Overview Minor fingernail and toenail problems are common. Common nail changes include: Splitting, peeling, or brittle nails.

These are common problems that develop when your hands are frequently exposed to water, strong soaps, and other chemicals. You may be able to prevent some of these problems if you use lotion and avoid repeatedly putting your hands in water. Color changes. Little white marks leukonychia often appear after minor injuries.

They may last for weeks or months and usually go away on their own. It is common for a nail to turn black after an injury. The black or purple-black color is caused by blood under the nail and will go away as the injury heals. Black, brown, or purple discoloration under a nail that has not been injured may be caused by melanoma.

Changes in the shape or texture of nails , which may occur for a variety of reasons. Some nail changes, such as the formation of ridges, are normal with aging. Thick, brittle, or dark nails are more common in older adults who have poor circulation.

Ingrown nails , which are often caused by improper trimming, tight shoes, or heredity. Your nails may grow into the surrounding skin, causing pain, swelling, and infection. In rare cases, an abscess may develop under a nail subungual abscess. Separation from the nail bed. Once your nail separates from its nail bed, for whatever reason, it will not reattach. Nails grow back slowly.

It takes about 6 months for fingernails and up to 18 months for toenails to grow back attached to the nail bed. Infection and allergic reactions. These are common problems caused by artificial nails. Fungal nail infections , which can vary in appearance depending on the type of fungus infecting the nail or the location of the infection.

It is not unusual for fungal nail infections to follow athlete's foot infections. For more information, see the topic Fungal Nail Infections. Nail problems can also be caused by: An injury to a nail. Hangnails , which may lead to a minor infection next to your nails paronychia , causing the skin around the nails to become swollen and tender. Nail-biting , which can lead to fingertips that are red and sore and cuticles that bleed.

Nail-biting also increases the chance of bacterial infections around your nail beds and in your mouth. Side effects of medicines, such as chemotherapy and antimalarial medicines. Diseases of the skin, such as psoriasis and eczema. Skin growths, such as warts , cysts , and moles. Other diseases such as Addison's disease , peripheral arterial disease , and HIV infection.

Check Your Symptoms Do you have a problem with your nails? This means a problem that affects the nails only and not any other part of the limb no other parts of the finger or hand or of the toe or foot. How old are you? Less than 12 years. Are you male or female? Why do we ask this question? The medical assessment of symptoms is based on the body parts you have. If you are transgender or nonbinary, choose the sex that matches the body parts such as ovaries, testes, prostate, breasts, penis, or vagina you now have in the area where you are having symptoms.

If you have some organs of both sexes, you may need to go through this triage tool twice once as "male" and once as "female". This will make sure that the tool asks the right questions for you.

Did you injure a nail? This could include tearing a nail, separating a nail from the nail bed, or hitting the nail hard enough that blood collects under it. Do you have pain under or around the nail? How bad is the pain on a scale of 0 to 10, if 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain you can imagine? Do you have diabetes, a weakened immune system , or peripheral arterial disease? Is there an object under the nail that you cannot remove? Are there any symptoms of infection?

Do you think you may have a fever? Are there red streaks leading away from the area or pus draining from it? Do you have an ingrown nail? Ingrown means that the nail has grown into the skin instead of over it. Have you had nail problems for more than 2 weeks?