Why do we have toenails? The main function of toenails is likely for protection, compared to enhancing grip or the fine motor functions the fingernails have. The tops of the toes are vulnerable to injury and, as we've all learned the hard way, stubbing.
The short answer is we have evolved to have nails because they help us pick things up (like food), pick things off (like bugs), and hold tightly onto things. Early humans who had these type of nails (instead of claws) tended to live long enough to have babies and pass on the fingernails gene to their kids.
Speaking of protection, toenails serve a function similar to wearing armor as well. Nails are meant to protect the pointier bones beneath them from harm by adding a stronger, harder extra layer to keep them safe.
One of the reasons you have fingernails is to keep viruses and bacteria from getting into your body. So if you didn't have nails, you would get sick more often. But that would also mean less dirt or bacteria could get trapped underneath your nails in the first place, which can cause all sorts of infections.
The tonsils are part of the body's immune system. Because of their location at the throat and palate, they can stop germs entering the body through the mouth or the nose. The tonsils also contain a lot of white blood cells, which are responsible for killing germs.
Chances are that prehistoric people didn't need to cut their toenails: while they were walking around barefooted, their nails would have been naturally abraded by contact with the ground. This is why toenails continue growing throughout our lives.
If you have a damaged toenail, you might be tempted to remove it yourself. But while damaged toenails sometimes fall off on their own, it's not a good idea to force that process. Removing a damaged toenail yourself could lead to serious complications that end up making matters worse.
Before the invention of the modern nail clipper, people would use small knives to trim or pare their nails. Descriptions of nail trimming in literature date as far back as the 8th century BC.
Never. We're probably stuck with our appendix, pinky toes, tailbone and just about all of our other evolutionary holdovers. Wisdom teeth may eventually go, but major changes like losing an appendage (teeth included) take millions and millions of years — who knows if humans will even be around that long.
Function. A healthy fingernail has the function of protecting the distal phalanx, the fingertip, and the surrounding soft tissues from injuries. It also serves to enhance precise delicate movements of the distal digits through counter-pressure exerted on the pulp of the finger.
Nails contain genomic DNA that can be used for genetic analyses, which is important for large epidemiologic studies that have collected nail clippings at baseline and for future epidemiologic studies that consider collecting nails as a DNA source for genetic analyses.
Although age is the main cause of thickening toenails, there are other reasons why it occurs: Experiencing trauma to the nail bed over time (such as surgery, stubbing your toe, general wear and tear ) Diabetes – poor blood circulation or peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral heart disease, high blood pressure.
The growth rate of nails decreases when people get older. This results in thickening because nail cells pile up. The process of nail cells piling up is referred to as onychocytes. Another reason why fingernails don't thicken as much is their growth rate is smaller than the growth rate of toenails.
We don't need our nails to survive, but they do support the tips of our fingers and toes, protect them from injury, and help us pick up small objects. Without them, we'd have a hard time scratching an itch or untying a knot. Nails can be an indicator of a person's general health, and illness often affects their growth.
The people who should undergo toenail removal are those who have ingrown nails and fungal infection on their toenails that typically lead to abscess, pain, and inflammation. An ingrown is a common toenail problem that a lot of people experience.
Cutting your toenails properly is an important step in preventing painful ingrown toenails — a condition when nails curve and grow into the skin, which often leads to pain and sometimes to infection.
We have pinkies because our DNA tells our bodies to make five fingers including the pinky. Our DNA can't tell whether or not we are using our pinky. So our kids' pinkies won't be shorter just because we didn't use ours.
The least important of your toes are undoubtedly your pinky toes. As the smallest toes, they bear the least weight and have the least impact on maintaining balance. People born without pinky toes or those who lose one in an accident will see very little, if any, changes to how their feet function.
A more widely accepted theory is that, when human ancestors moved from the cool shady forests into the savannah, they developed a new method of thermoregulation. Losing all that fur made it possible for hominins to hunt during the day in the hot grasslands without overheating.
The Caveman Era
Without the means to create a razor, cavemen had to get creative. They scraped off their hair with a sharpened rock or a seashell.
Nail clippers are not to be shared among inmates. Strict control and accounting of all nail clippers is maintained by corrections deputies. Fingernails and toenails must be kept clean and neatly trimmed. Nails must be kept short enough not to present a hazard to safety and security of the facility.
That's because the way they choose to groom their nails is ultimately a matter of personal preference: biting works, as does simply waiting for the nails to grow too long and break off on their own.
Getting a fungal infection on your toenails can cause the nails to turn yellow and brittle, and the bugs that cause the infection often emit a foul odor as they feed on your body. The same microorganisms that cause athlete's foot also are the cause of fungal toenail infection.
After your nail has been removed, it will take a few weeks for the nail to start to grow back. It will take about 3 to 6 months for a fingernail to fully grow back. A toenail will take about 6 to 12 months. Your nail will often, but not always, grow back normally.
After a nail separates from the nail bed for whatever reason, it will not reattach. A new nail will have to grow back in its place. Nails grow back slowly. It takes about 6 months for a fingernail and up to 18 months for a toenail to grow back.