Secret of nail

The nail files: 30 things every woman should know

The nail files: things every woman should know

Women rely upon their nails to accessorise any outfit.

Yet they can also attract bacteria and infection - as well as revealing a great deal about our inner health.

Here, we present the secret nail files . . .

1. Nails are mostly made from keratin, a fibrous protein substance also found in hair. Although fingernails may seem brittle and easily broken, in fact because they are 96 per cent proteins, arranged in lengthwise, twisting strands, their structure is 40 times more resistant to fracture than stone.

2. Nails need to be pliable - if they were too tough they would simply split and crack. It is the presence of fat and water molecules between the layers of keratin that makes flexible as well as shiny.

3. The pink part of the nail is known as the nail bed. This contains the capillaries that bring nourishment to the area just beneath the cuticle, known as the matrix. The matrix is where new cells are generated, making nails grow.

The whole nail, from its white tip to its pink bed, is known as the nail plate, and the crescent moon at its base is called the lunula.