Nail Structure & Growth

1. Nail Structure & Growth Module 09 – 12’

2. Introduction • ** write on page 198** • Reflect general health of body • Educate yourself • Natural nail’s structure & growth

3. Why Study Nail Structure and Growth? • You can expertly groom, strengthen & Beautify nails • Knowing the difference between cuticle & eponychium • Prepare you for advanced nail services

4. The natural Nail • Technical name Onyx • Natural nail • Hard protective plate • Protein – Keratin • Appendage of the skin (integumentary system) Composed of keratin • Same as found in hair & skin • Healthy nail • Whitish • Translucent • Pinkish color of nail bed showing through • Firm flexible

5. Did You Know page 198 & 199 • Porous to water • Water content • Relative to humidity of surrounding environment • 15% - 25% • Directly effects flexibility • Oil-based nail conditioner/nail polish • Improve flexibility • Reduce water loss

6. Nail Anatomy

7. Nail Plate • Most visible and functional part • Hardened keratin plate sits on and slides across nail bed • 100 layers of nail cells • Free Edge • Extends over tip of finger/toe

8. Nail Bed • Living skin on which the nail plate sits • Richly supplied with blood vessels • Pinkish area • Supplied with nerves • Bed epithelium • Thin layer of tissue attaching the nail plate to the nail bed • Helps guide nail plate along bed as it grows

9. Matrix • Natural nail is formed • Contains • Nerves • Lymph • Blood vessels to nourish cells • Create new cells as long as healthy • Extends under the nail fold at base of nail to nail plate

10. Lunula • Lighter color shows the true color of matrix • Growth can be effected • Poor health • Nail disorder or disease is present • Injury to matrix ** FYI page 200

12. Cuticle • Dead colorless tissue attached to plate • Seal the space between natural plate and living skin above • Prevents injury and infection

13. Eponychium • Living skin at base of nail plate covering matrix area • Cuticle is dead tissue • Eponychium is living tissue – legally we cannot cut

14. hyponychium • Slightly thickened layer of skin underneath free edge • Creates seal under nail plate to prevent microorganisms from invading and infecting nail bed

15. Specialized ligaments • Ligament • Tough band of fibrous tissue that connects bones or holds an organ in place • Specialized ligaments • Attach nail bed and matrix to the underlying bone

16. Nail Folds • Nail folds • Folds of normal skin that surround nail plate • Form nail groves • Nail grooves • Slits or furrows on sides of nail on which it moves as it grows • Sidewall – lateral nail fold • Fold of skin overlapping the side of the nail

17. Nail Growth • Growth of nail plate affected: • Nutrition • Exercise • Person’s general health • Length, width and curvature of matrix determine the thickness, width and curvature of the natural nail plate • Longer matrix produces • Thicker nail plate • Highly curved matrix creates • Highly curved free edge

18. Growth • Average growth – normal adult is 1/10” per month • Faster • Summer • Children • Middle finger • Slower • Winter • Elderly • Thumb

19. Rate increases dramatically in last trimester of pregnancy • Hormonal changes in body • Rate decreases dramatically after delivery • Returns to normal as hormones levels return to normal • prenatal care vitamins • Myth – makes grow faster • Grow faster whether taken or not (hormone changes) • Toenails grow thicker, harder and slower • Did you Know? Page 202

20. Nail Malformation • Disease, injury, or infection occurs in matrix • Shape or thickness of nail plate can change • Natural nail will grow as long as matrix is healthy and undamaged • Replacement natural fingernail – • 4 – 6 months • Replacement natural toenails – • 9 - 12 months • Nails are not shed automatically or periodically as does hair

22. Know your nails • Creativity must be rounded in a full awareness of the structure and physiology of nails and the surrounding tissue