8 Interesting facts you may not know about your toenails

• Men’s toenails grow faster than women’s.  An exception to this is during pregnancy when women’s toenails grow at a faster rate.
   
• Nails grow faster in summer and warm climates.
   
• Toenails are made up of keratin – the same protein as hair.
   
• Fingernails grow 4 times faster than toenails. On average, fingernails grow 3.5 mm per month, while toenails grow about 1.6 mm per month.
   
• When the sole of a baby's foot is firmly stroked, the big toe bends back toward the top of the foot and the other toes fan out. This is a normal reflex up to about 2 years of age.
   
• It is a common myth that white spots on the nail are caused by a calcium deficiency but they are generally just minor nail damage and are nothing to be concerned about.
   
• It takes 5-6 months to re-grow a toenail, even longer for a big toe which can take up to 12 months.
   
• Primates, including humans, are the only animals with nails rather than harder claws.
   
• Why do we have toenails? Toenails are mostly considered to be vestigial which means that they once had a function which has been eliminated – like wisdom teeth or your appendix. They do however provide some protection to the tops of your toes from rubbing on your shoes.