Now, you might not pay much attention to your nails outside of the basic cosmetic maintenance. But here is a fun fact, scientists have long been fascinated with human fingernails and toenails. By now, you probably know that your nails contain so much information about your overall health. Yet, they also hide the element of mystery. Why do my nails grow so fast? Are you wondering that?
Well, today, we will give you an answer. It is worth noting that nowadays, fingernails grow at a faster pace than decades ago.
First and foremost, we must explain the composition of nails. They are made of a protein called keratin. And their growth can be affected by different factors. Two of the most important remain age and health.
For example, children’s healthy nails grow quickly until they reach puberty. At that point, growth slows down by half compared to its previous rate. Another fun fact: pregnant women experience accelerated natural nail growth because hormones boost metabolism and increase circulation.
Illness, on the other hand, can slow down healthy nail growth. With that in mind, let’s try to answer the question of why our nails grow so fast.
What Is The Average Growth Rate?
So, how fast do nails grow? Well, fingernails grow at an average rate of 3.47mm per month, or about 1/10 of an inch per month. Just to put this into perspective. The average rain of short rice is about 5.5mm long.
So, if you happen to lose a fingernail, do not worry. It will grow, but it will take some time. Generally speaking, it will take up to six months for that nail to completely grow back.
Then, you also have to consider other factors. The nails on your dominant hand grow faster. Same with the nails on your longer fingers.
And during the summer, nails grow faster as well. Now, you might think there is no rhyme or reason to how your nails grow. Yet, there are a few factors that can affect the speed of healthy nail growth.
And if you like to take things further. Nails grow at a rate of 0.7mm per week, but a bit faster during the warmer months. And for your toenails, they grow back at a slower rate, of about 0.4mm per week.
Remember, nail growth is a sign of good health. Because growth is directly affected by factors like age and health, having a normal growth rate is good.
What Factors Affect Nail Growth?
Now, you are might wondering why your nails grow faster at one point, and slower at another. Well, there is a reason for it. And it comes in the form of different factors that can affect how quickly your nails grow.
Location
We are not talking about where you are located in the world. But where the nails are located. We said before that nails on your dominant hand grow faster because you use it more. This increases the risk for trauma, like hitting your natural nail or catching it on a snag.
If trauma occurs, your body will send more blood and nutrients to that area. It is a natural reaction that will help repair the damage to the area. And this influx of nutrients will speed up nail growth.
Age
We mentioned this before as well. Younger people have faster nail growth than older people. One study focused on the nail growth of the thumbnail. It grew up to 0.123mm per day at age 23. But by the time the person reached 67 years of age, that rate dropped to 0.095mm per day.
The change of speed is natural and logical. After all, blood circulation slows down with age. And that can affect nail growth.
Hormones
Pregnancy is a perfect example here. Hormones affect growth rate in a big way. During pregnancy, women experience a sudden and dramatic increase in estrogen and progesterone. The hormonal changes result in rapid nail growth. But do not worry, nail changes will decrease during lactation.
Puberty is another great example. As the most tumultuous time for your hormone levels, puberty can cause faster nail growth. And many studies have shown that growth peaks during puberty and then declines as the hormone levels balance out.
Overall Health
Your overall health has a huge impact on your nail growth rate. Some conditions that can result in nail symptoms include psoriasis, lupus, kidney disease, thyroid disease, and liver disease.
Also, if you have diabetes or other circulatory issues, monitor your nails closely. Immediately make an appointment with your doctor if you experience a nail injury or notice something unusual. Additionally, you can conduct research on medical house calls in Palo Alto or other nearby locations, to provide you with a doctor to come to your home for a consultation.
Biting And Clipping
The habit of biting your nails is known as onychophagia. Here is a fun fact: it has been associated with a faster fingernail growth rate.
But we explained this. Biting causes trauma, which kicks in the cycle and sends more nutrients to the area. It stimulates circulation in the nail bed.
And it is a vicious cycle, as the person biting their nails is more prone to biting as his/her nails grow faster.
Can You Make Nails Grow Faster?
We have to note, that there are no scientifically proven methods that say you can make nails grow faster. But experience has shown that there are ways to increase the overall health of your nails. Here are some:
- Take biotin, it will reduce breakage and increase overall nail health
- Use nail hardeners, but sparingly to strengthen the nail and reduce breakage. But do avoid prolonged use, it can actually break down the nails overtime
- Avoid glue-on nails and toxic polishes that can increase the risk of breakage
- Keep your nails clean and groom them regularly
- Apply moisturizer like coconut oil or olive oil to have healthy nails
Fun Facts
We talked about nail growth rate so much, so let’s finish with some humor. Do you want to know some fun facts about fingernail growth? Let’s go.
- Fingernails grow almost twice as fast as toenails. In number, the average fingernail grows 3.47mm per month, while the average toenail grows 1.62mm per month
- Your pinky fingernail grows the slowest, which is logical as we said the longer the finger, the faster the rate of growth. And the pinky finger is the smallest finger. As for toenails, the great toenail grows faster than all the other toenails
- Men’s fingernails grow faster than women’s, but the difference is fairly small
- Nails on the dominant hand grow faster
- Fingernails grow faster in the summer compared to the winter. There is no explanation why, but scientists believe is because they are more used and often exposed to elements
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