How come when nail grow, the flesh under them doesn’t come forward along with the nail as it grows?

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Nails have a fleshy bottom layer attached to them that somehow doesn’t come forward with the nail as it grows, why is that?

In: Biology

16 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

My fleshy bottom layer does grow with my nail, actually…but I have a condition called subungual hyperkeratosis. I have to cut off a bunch of skin every time I cut my nails, and if I’m not careful I can hurt myself.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Related question: Can I make so that the white part of the fingernail begins further out on the finger?

Anonymous 0 Comments

Since no one seems to be answering the actual question…

Imagine you are on the playground and there is a set of monkey bars ([these things](https://images.app.goo.gl/YHzLCg8e58DshBr49)). But they are very special monkey bars. They are attached to a motor that makes them move (almost like a conveyor belt or a treadmill), and you can just stay in place swinging from one bar to the next as they move above you. If they move too fast you would be dragged along, but since they move slow enough, you have time to swing along and keep pace with the motor.

Similarly, your nail grows so slowly that the skin cells it’s attached to have time to adjust to the movement. That’s why the flesh doesn’t come forward also.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Is anyone going to actually answer the question ?

Anonymous 0 Comments

Wheels. There are wheels there…

…I have a five year old. Okay, so the flesh that renews itself there is probably faster growing and so it works, LIKE wheels or a conveyer belt at the grocery store. Or your fingers unrolling the toilet paper roll, by the way don’t use QUITE that much paper, dear. ELI5, mom edition… have a happy day folks. Hope you laughed. 🙂

Anonymous 0 Comments

Your nail bed length and shape is genetically predetermined. The hyponychium, the fleshy part under your nail where the nail bed meets the nail plate, is essentially a guardian seal to help prevent any dirt from getting under your nails, same with the eponychium which is up near the keratinized proximal nail fold (commonly confused for the cuticle).

It can become detached (onycholysis) due to picking/scraping under the nail, chemical reactions (looking at you, Mentality Polish), or from hitting your nail at the wrong angle and having it lift from the nail plate. In this instance, the nail bed will eventually reattach itself but it won’t grow the nail bed any longer than it was initially.

Some people have a hyponychium that extends past the tip of their finger and when they break a nail, this can be incredibly painful.

In cases of severe nail biters, the nail bed can reattach itself & lengthen as the nail is allowed to grow out, but it will not be any longer than it was before the nail biting habit was formed.

That being said, if anyone has any questions regarding nail care, please don’t hesitate to message me. Nails are a passion of mine!!

Anonymous 0 Comments

The nail starts stacking up from the beginning, but the hyponychium (the skin just below the nail that completes the seal) stays mostly at the same place. However, I have a condition in which the skin does grow and the hyponychium may go past the nail. I may occasionally tear that skin when doing something with my hands.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Speak for yourself, I left my big toe untrimmed too long and now that skin has grown out some and I can’t cut the nail back as far as it used to, very irritating…

Anonymous 0 Comments

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Anonymous 0 Comments

My sister is a nail tech and it DOES grow. If properly treated your nail bed become longer (more pink less white) this is needed for nail art competitions. In 6 months mine have grown 3mm.

If you want to do it don’t cut your nails only file and moisturizer.