Nail Basics
What is the technical term for the natural nail?
Onyx
What part supports the nail plate and contains blood vessels?
Nail Bed
How much does the average nail grow per month?
1/10 to 1/8 inch
What is the thin, nonliving tissue that seals the space between the nail plate and the proximal nail fold?
The Cuticle
Natural Nails are made mostly of what protein?
Keratin
What is the visible portion of the nail that rest on the nail bed?
nail plate
True or False: Fingernails grow faster than toenails
TRUE
What is the living skin at the base of the nail plate that covers the matrix?
Eponychium
Describe the appearance of a healthy nail
Firm, flexible, smooth and pinkish with no spots or discoloration
What is the band of fibrous connective tissue that attaches the nail bed and matrix to the bone?
Specialized ligaments
What season do nails tend to grow faster?
Summer
Which part of the nail is the protective barrier under the free edge?
Hyponychium
What percentage of water content does a natural nail typically contain?
15-25 percent
What are the folds of skin on either side of the nail called?
Nail Folds
What are two factors that can increase or decrease nail growth?
Age, Pregnancy, seasons, health
What is commonly mistaken for the cuticle, but should never be cut?
Eponychium
Which part of the nail extends over the fingertip?
Free Edge
What part of the nail unit produces cells that from the nail plate?
Matrix
What can help maintain healthy nails?
Proper nutrition and care (hydration, cleanliness, avoiding trauma, regular manicures)
What is the whitish half moon shape at the base of the nail plate?
Lunula