What really causes the ends of our nails grow to become white rather than their original color?

Maybe due to no blood contact?I dont know.Help,and the most explaining answer gets 11 points from me.


star if you wish to.What really causes the ends of our nails grow to become white rather than their original color?
Your nails are translucent/white all over. That is their original color. They appear pink on your fingertips because of the skin and blood vessels underneath. After they grow over the edge you no longer see the pink so they appear white. If you ripped off your entire nail it and washed off all the attached skin and blood (I do not recommend this!) it would be white.





[edit] in response to Esther: The lunula is the crescent shaped white area next to the nail bed, where the nail grows out from. It is white because the area under it, the germinal matrix, contains few blood vessels. As the nail grows over the better vascularity (more blood vessels) of the fingertip it takes on a pinkish tone again.What really causes the ends of our nails grow to become white rather than their original color?
the growing end of the nail is usually half- moon in shape, and is usually white in colour. this region is called 'lunula'. the nails are composed of a substance called keratin. at the growing end, the keratin has a white colour, as it mixes with the atmospheric air.
Sasha's response is correct but no need to pull off a nail to prove it. Just push down on the tip of one of you nails (press the nail tip against the finger) . This will cause the blood to recede and you should see part of your thumbnail turn white.





Strange that this exact question has been posted on this board previously.





6 months ago -


http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071017105851AAVLwxL





2 months ago -


http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080308203005AAk91JE
It is due to once they grow out and past your finger or to a certain point air hits it and that is what makes it turn white. That is what I was told by the person who does my nails.
this is because when our nails grow they get exposed to the outer air.We keep cleaning the so the nail keeps getting thinner add its thus loses its original colour!....remember each time one has a hot water bath....the shade of their nails become lighter!
my guess is that the part that is attached to live tissue does not get dry, and when it grows out it does dry out and turn white. just a guess...


you get a star for asking a good question :)