Eli5: How does the skin under my fingernails know to “let go” of the nail once it reaches the end of the finger?

Question

I’ve got a hangnail right now…. I can either rip it off now and deal with the pain, or just wait for it to grow out and then it just lets go somehow.

In: 155

Answer 1

Maybe I’m the only one that didn’t see it this way before but I only recently realized our nails and hair are designed to be disposable/constantly wearing down.