It’s not everyday that people pay attention to their nails (except for those who are a bit attentive to them from time to time). Sometimes, people can last long enough without having to take a look at them. On the other hand, there are individuals who are very particular with their nail health. But whichever type you are, do you know some facts about your nails?

Here are some nail info you may have missed out. Check these for yourself!

Men grow their nails faster than women.

It’s an interesting topic to boot. But yes, research has proven this to be true due to special hormones that vary in levels between men and women. The only exception is when women are pregnant.

It’s best to give your nails some room between manicures.

Although it feels and looks nice on the outside, nails also need some time to rest or breathe in between manicures. It helps avoid your nails from getting weak due to the constant scraping of the top layer which is important in defending your nails from bacterial growth. Also, constant use of tools may pose your nail health to many risks if these items are not sanitized.

Nails grow around 3.5 millimeters per month.

People may not always keep track of their nail’s health and growth, but these grow at 3.5 millimeters per month. That means that you’ll grow an inch of a nail after ten months if you decide to not cut or trim it. Also, did you know that nails on your dominant hand grow much faster than the other? Meanwhile, toenails have the slowest growth rate overall.

Nails are made out of keratin, just like hair.

It’s for this reason that a healthy and balanced diet, paired with exercise and enough rest are key to growing beautiful and strong nails and hair. If ever you’re noticing that your hair is falling out or starts to get brittle, you’ll also observe your nails getting weaker and more prone to chipping away. Keratin is key in maintaining optimal health of both.

White spots can happen. But they don’t mean calcium deficiency.

There’s a lot of rumor going on about calcium deficiency being the main reason for white spots on nails. However, this is a myth and that white spots on nails don’t necessarily mean harm on your health. These can appear when the nails have been exposed to trauma such as denting.