Nails
are composed primarily of keratin, a hardened
protein also found in skin and hair. The nail
itself consists of several different parts, including
the nail plate, nail bed, matrix, lunula, cuticle
and nail folds.
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The average growth rate
for nails is 0.1 mm each day; individual rates
depend on age, time of year, activity level,
and heredity. |
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Fingernails grow faster
than toenails. Nails also grow more rapidly
in the summer than in the winter. |
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Nails on a person's
dominant hand (right vs. left) grow faster,
and men's nails grow more quickly than women's,
except possibly during pregnancy and old age.
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Nail growth is affected
by internal disease, skin disorders, medications,
nutritional status (vitamin, iron or protein
deficiency), hormone imbalances, infections
and the aging process. |
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See your dermatologist
if you suspect a problem with nail growth
or appearance; it can be a sign of internal
disease, infection or inflammation. |
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