{"id":1090,"date":"2024-01-07T16:44:43","date_gmt":"2024-01-07T16:44:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vampy-varnish.com\/?p=1090"},"modified":"2024-01-07T16:55:27","modified_gmt":"2024-01-07T16:55:27","slug":"do-nails-grow-from-the-top-or-bottom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vampy-varnish.com\/do-nails-grow-from-the-top-or-bottom\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Nails Grow From The Top Or Bottom? A Detailed Look"},"content":{"rendered":"
If you’ve ever gotten a manicure, you’ve probably wondered – do my nails grow from the top or bottom? Understanding nail growth is important for proper nail care and maintenance. Let’s take a close look at the anatomy of the nail to solve this mystery once and for all.<\/p>\n
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: nails grow from the nail matrix under the cuticle near the base of the nail, not from the tip<\/b>. As new cells are produced in the matrix, the older nail cells are pushed forward creating nail growth.<\/p>\nAnatomy of the Nail<\/h2>\n
Nail Plate<\/h3>\n
The nail plate is the hard, translucent part of the nail that we see. It is made up of keratin, which is a protein that also makes up the hair and the outer layer of skin. The nail plate grows from the nail matrix under the cuticle.<\/p>\n
As new nail cells are produced in the matrix, the older nail plate is pushed forward. This is how nails grow longer. The nail plate protects the delicate nail bed underneath.<\/p>\n
The nail bed is the skin beneath the nail plate. It is rich in blood vessels, nerves, and melanocytes, which produce skin pigment. The nail bed connects the nail plate to the finger or toe. As new nail plate cells are produced, they adhere to the nail bed, allowing the nail to grow forward.<\/p>\n
The pinkish appearance of the nail bed gives a natural base color to the nail plate.<\/p>\n
The nail matrix, also called the matrix germinativum, is the part of the nail under the cuticle from which the nail plate originates. The matrix contains nerves, lymph and blood vessels which nourish the nail as it grows.<\/p>\n
Cells in the matrix called onychocytes undergo mitosis and produce new keratin cells. These keratinocytes are pushed forward and compacted into layers that make up the rigid nail plate.<\/p>\n
The cuticle is the semi-circular layer of dead skin cells at the base of the nail plate near the nail root. It seals and protects the new, living nail plate cells from bacteria and dirt as they emerge from the nail matrix. The cuticle also guides the forward growth of the nail plate.<\/p>\n
As more keratinocytes are produced in the nail matrix, they push the existing nail plate forward over the nail bed, and the cuticle moves with it.<\/p>\n
The lunula is the white, half-moon shaped base of the visible nail plate. It is the part of the matrix that can be seen through the transparent nail. The lunula is largest in the thumb and gets smaller towards the pinky finger. Some people may have very faint or absent lunulas.<\/p>\n
The size and visibility of the lunula may change with age, nutrient status, and nail damage.<\/p>\n
Nails originate in the nail matrix, which is the part of the nail under the skin at the lunula (the whitish half-moon shape at the base of the nail). The nail matrix contains nerves, lymph and blood vessels which stimulate fast-growing cells that become hardened keratin cells which make up the nail plate.<\/p>\n
These nail matrix cells divide rapidly, pushing older nail cells forward toward the fingertips at a rate of around 1 mm per week. So while the part of the nail you see is dead keratin, the root where new cells are formed is very much alive.<\/p>\n
As new nail plate cells are formed in the matrix, the older cells get pushed forward toward the fingertips and become compacted and hardened into layers of keratin. The seals between these compacted cells are waterproof, which helps protect the fingers and toes.<\/p>\n
So while we typically think of fingernails as growing from the base outwards, technically new cells are formed inside the skin and then pushed outward from the matrix underneath as more cells form behind them.<\/p>\n
The matrix cells regenerate rapidly, which is why nails can regrow if they get damaged or removed.<\/p>\n