Fingernails and toenails are believed to have evolved from claws and serve a variety of purposes, including helping with daily activities and gripping things. They are made of keratin and can be strengthened by consuming more of it. Proper nail care is also important.
There are many theories as to why humans have fingernails and toenails. Most relate to human evolution, suggesting they are related to the claws that other members of the animal kingdom have. Fingernails in particular are very helpful in carrying out daily activities and toenails are also sometimes helpful, depending on the situation. While fingernails may be remnants from mankind’s wild past, most people who have lost their fingernails agree that they are much more valuable than meets the eye.
One theory suggests they are designed to protect the delicate nail bed. This assumption has been dismissed by many medical professionals, who point out that people who permanently lose their nails develop harder nail beds. It seems more likely that the delicate or rapid tissue under the nail evolved in response to the presence of the nail, rather than the other way around.
The most likely reason is that these structures are useful. Fingernails help humans scratch things, peel fruit, open things, remove the outer layers of other edibles, untie knots, and perform a number of other tasks. In the more distant past, they probably helped humans catch body lice, as still seen among the great apes. When feet were used more like hands, toenails served a similar function, helping humans open vital food items, strip away the bark to build structures, and other such things.
Fingernails help the hands grip things and start ripping and tearing. Having them out of action makes it much more difficult to scratch itches, clean the hair and scalp, open foods, and perform a wide variety of delicate manipulations with your hands. Toenails may not be as useful, but when a person imagines their feet as hands, their presence makes a lot more sense.
Like hair, nails are made of keratin, a type of protein. If nails are weak and brittle, larger quantities of keratin should be ingested: a common source is gelatin, a food product derived from animal hooves, which also contains keratin. An increase in the level of keratin consumed will lead to healthier skin and nails, which will better serve the user for daily activities. Nails also need to be well cared for: cuticles should be kept clean and the area under the nail before the nail should be scrubbed to get rid of accumulated dirt and bacteria that build up there during the day.
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