Your nails really can say a lot about you, and not just whether you have a bad habit of biting them or smoking. Here’s a run down on everything you ever needed to know about nails!

1. Your nails indicate the state of your general health. They can highlight problems such as arthritis and psoriasis.

2. Nails are made of a protein called keratin, the same material that your hair is made from.

3. An estimated 20% of people over the age of 60 have a fungal nail infection.

4. Fungal infections cause about 50% of all nail disorders.

5. Medieval Italian men would let the nail on their little finger grow to prove they did not need to do any work.

6. Lee Redmond, from Salt Lake City USA, hasn’t cut her nails since 1979 and holds the Guinness world record for longest female fingernails at a total length of 7m 51.3cm (yuck!).

7. A fingernails full growth cycle is roughly 150 days.

8. Fingernails grow faster than toenails, which can take up to year to grow fully.

9. The middle finger’s is the fastest growing nail on your hand.

10. Men’s fingernails grow faster than women’s.

11. Bird’s feathers, horse’s hooves and deer’s antlers are all made from Keratin which is the same protein as a human nail.

12. Pranamya Manari and Devendra Harne both from India share the Guinness world record from most fingers and toes with 25 nails in total.

13. Biting unwashed finger/toe nails can cause intestinal worms – so don’t do it!

14. Anne Boleyn had 6 fingers and nails on one hand. She would wear long sleeves and gloves to cover the extra appendage so people wouldn’t think she was a witch.

15. Nails grow quicker in summer months in comparison to winter.

16. When you die you nails do not continue to grow, the skin around them shrinks giving the illusion of a lengthening nail.

17. Nail-it’s unique lacquer‘s main ingredient is chitosan which is also found in crab shells to aid with regeneration.

18. Your nail is made up of dead cells

19. The Statue of Liberty’s fingernail weighs 3.5 pounds.

20. Nail growth is affected by disease, hormone imbalance and the ageing process.

Via The Tiscali Body Guide.