• Question: what are your nails made of

    Asked by paul and james to Áine, Ciarán, Eoin, Lydia, Victoria on 17 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Lydia Bach

      Lydia Bach answered on 17 Nov 2014:

      Hey Paul and James,

      Fingernails are made of a protein called keratin, which is very though and protective. Keratin is the same material other animals have too in hooves and horns.

    • Photo: Ciarán O'Brien

      Ciarán O'Brien answered on 18 Nov 2014:

      Yup, it’s keratin.

      Keratin is also what your hair is made from, and one of the reasons the skin on the palms of your hands and feet is a little tougher than skin in other places. The skin cells nearest the surface contain tiny little bits of keratin to harden them up a bit 🙂

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