ALL THAT ZAZZ

By Mary N. DiZazzo

Fascinating Fingernail Facts (Part II)

Ciao bella,

Here we are with the second portion of nail, hair, and skin curiosities. Interestingly enough, it’s all true.

One square inch of a human hand contains about nine feet of blood vessels, 600 pain sensors, 9,000 nerve endings, 36 heat sensors, and 76 pressure sensors.

It’s common for a person to have one foot that is slightly bigger that the other.

The outermost layer of human skin contains a buildup of dead skin cells. Also known as the “horny layer” this protective layer is usually the thickest on hands and feet.

Human fingernails and toenails form after about 20 weeks in utero.

With a total of 12 fingers and 13 toes, 12-year-old Devandia Harne from Nagpur, India, holds the Guinness World Record for the person with the most digits.

Fingernails, toenails, hair, hooves, antlers and even feathers contain the same substance—a protein called keratin.

The feet contain more than 250,000 sweat glands and they excrete as much as a half pint of moisture each day.

Surgeons are now able to re-attach a severed finger or thumb without much complication.

Human hair grows at a rate of about one-third of a millimeter a day.

Fingernails are essentially flattened versions of claws.

Well, that’s it ladies and gents. Hope you enjoyed “Fascinating Hair, Skin, and Nail Facts.” Very interesting!

I wish all Post-Gazette readers and staff God’s choicest blessings of bounty on Thanksgiving!

Buona giornata and God bless the United States of America!


Have you missed any of Mary's columns in the Post-Gazette? Read prior weeks' "All That Zazz" columns on her website www.mary4nails.com. She is a third-generation cosmetologist and owner of Mary for Nails, etc. natural nailcare salon in Andover, and a Massachusetts distributor of Kosmea brand rose hip oil products. She may be contacted at (978) 470-8183. She also sees select clients by appointment in Boston at (617) 742-6881.