Are the more “half-moons” on nails the better?

I'm here to chat with you again. What should we talk about today? Let's talk about nails. There is nothing special about nails. What is there to say? Don't underestimate them. Although they grow on our bodies in obscurity, there are many rumors about them.

Image source: unsplash.com Photographer: Cottonbro Studio

Among them, the most widely circulated one is "The more half-moons on the nails, the healthier you are."

In fact, the number and size of the lunula vary from person to person and cannot reflect health conditions. Those "lunulae" are newly produced keratin cells, scientifically known as "lunulae". Under these small "lunulae" is the nail matrix responsible for the production of keratin, which is also the source of our nails. Moreover, not being able to see the "lunulae" does not mean that they do not exist.

In fact, there are "lunulae" on every finger or toe, but some are covered by our skin. If you pay attention, you will find that there are more "lunulae" on children's fingers, and fewer on the elderly. If you use your hands frequently, the "lunulae" on the fingers with faster nail wear will be more obvious. This is because the number and size of the "lunulae" we can see are related to the speed of keratin production. Age, disease, nutritional status, environment and changes in living habits will affect the growth rate of nails.

Image source: unsplash.com Photographer: Lyudmila

But if the "lunula" suddenly becomes larger or disappears, it may be that the growth rate of the nail has suddenly accelerated, slowed down, or even stopped. In this case, we should be alert to changes in metabolic rate caused by thyroid disease. If it doesn't change much, don't pay too much attention to it, let alone be nervous.

At this point, perhaps you understand. The number and size of the "crescents" are related to the speed of keratin production and cannot directly reflect the physical health. That's all for today, see you next time.

Image source: unsplash.com Photographer: Damian Zaleski

Reviewer: Tang Qin, Director and Researcher of the Science Popularization Department of the Chinese Medical Association