Do you know why you have fingernails and toenails? They help protect the ends of your fingers and toes.
Your fingernails and toenails are made of strong stuff called keratin. Keratin is made up of hard skin. Animal claws, hoofs, scales, feathers, and horns also are made of keratin. Animals use these for protection, too.
The outer skin at the base of your nail is called the cuticle. Your nails grow from the cuticle. As this layer of skin grows, it pushes the older skin towards the tip of the nail. Near the growing area, you cannot see the flow of blood as well as you can in the rest of the nail. This is why you see a light half moon at the base of your nails.
Your nails grow all the time. You need to cut them or file them when they get too long. Otherwise, they may scratch you, split and break, or catch on things. It is a good idea to keep your toenails straight across so that they will not dig into the skin and corners of your toes.
Picture Credit : Google
