Each part of the body has its own purpose, including nails. This is one of the defense mechanisms created by nature. If people lost their nails, it would make their fingers vulnerable to all kinds of mechanical and chemical influences.
Nails are hard formations of horny tissue. The base of the nail is ringed with cuticle, its purpose is to create a barrier to the penetration of dust, dirt, pathogenic bacteria, leading to inflammatory processes or fungal diseases. Nails can cut, tear, scratch. They can be used to open small valves or lift small objects. Sometimes nails are used for self-defense. Even a glass of water is difficult to hold with fingers without nails, as the grip will be weakened. Without nails, it is impossible to play musical instruments or type on a computer keyboard. Without these horny plates, even dialing a phone number is quite problematic. In ancient times, nails were used to determine the cultural or social status of a person - for example, Chinese mandarins had very long curved nails - nowadays it is an important component of a person's appearance. It is impossible to imagine a complete feminine image without beautiful, healthy and well-groomed nails. Thanks to the modern nail design industry, including nail art, piercings, extensions, nails have become an independent decoration. Some people need long nails to work. For example, Aleutian wickerwork, famous for its durability, is woven from the thinnest strips of special grass. And in order to split the stalks of this grass, the Aleuts grow very long nails. In addition, the nail plate reflects the state of our health. Changes in color or deformation of nails are often a sign of painful processes in the body. The appearance of lesions can be caused by the action of environmental factors, infection, chronic diseases, trauma, genetic predisposition. Longitudinal grooves on the nails indicate inflammation or rheumatism, transverse ones reflect diseases of internal organs or a lack of zinc in the body. Bulging nails indicate diseases of the lungs or bronchi. With insufficient blood circulation, the nail plates acquire a bluish tint. Yellow nails indicate liver disease. Lack of calcium is reflected by white blotches.
