The Speedy Race Between Fingernails and Toenails: Which Grows Faster?

Did you know there’s a race happening on your body right now? It’s happening so slowly you can’t see it, but it’s happening all the same! Your fingernails and toenails are growing every single day. But guess what? Your fingernails are the champions – they grow about FOUR TIMES faster than your toenails!

Why Do We Have Nails?

Before we talk about the race, let’s think about why we have nails at all!

Fingernails help us:

Pick up tiny things
Scratch an itch
Protect our fingertips
Open packages and cans

Toenails help:

Protect our toe tips
Keep our toes balanced when we walk

The Science Behind the Race

Your nails are made of something called keratin – the same stuff that makes up your hair! Underneath your nail is something called the “nail matrix.” This is where new nail cells are made. When new cells grow, they push the old cells forward, making your nail longer.

But why do fingernails grow faster? Scientists think it’s because:

We use our fingers more than our toes
Fingers have better blood flow
Fingers are usually warmer than toes

Become a Nail Scientist!

Would you like to see this race for yourself? Try this simple experiment!

What You’ll Need:

A small bottle of nail polish (any color)
A grown-up to help
A calendar or notebook
A ruler with millimeters (mm)

The Experiment:

Ask a grown-up to help you put ONE small dot of nail polish at the bottom of your thumbnail, as close to the cuticle (the skin part) as possible.
Put another dot on your big toenail in the same spot.
Write down the date in your notebook.
Every week, measure how far the dots have moved from the cuticle.
After 4 weeks, compare the measurements.

What Will Happen:

The dot on your fingernail should move much farther than the dot on your toenail! That’s because your fingernail is growing faster, pushing the dot forward.

Fun Nail Facts!

Your fingernails grow about 3.5 millimeters (mm) per month – that’s the thickness of about 10 sheets of paper!
Your toenails only grow about 1 mm per month – that’s just the thickness of about 3 sheets of paper.
Nails grow faster in the summer than in the winter.
Nails on your dominant hand (the hand you write with) grow a tiny bit faster!
If you lose a fingernail, it takes about 6 months to grow back completely.
If you lose a toenail, it can take 12-18 months to grow back completely!

Questions to Think About:

Why do you think your body made fingernails grow faster than toenails?
Do you think animal claws grow at the same speed as human nails?
What would happen if your nails grew as fast as your hair?

Next time you get your nails trimmed, remember there’s a fascinating race happening right under your nose (and under your toes)! Science is everywhere – even in the tiniest places on your body!