What Would Happen to Our Body If We Didn’t Have Nails

Some people enjoy a nice scratch. And some just adore picking their noses. We all do this and many other things because we have fingernails, but sometimes we may all wonder what could happen if we didn’t have fingernails at all. Surprisingly, there are so many things that would be happening to our bodies without nails, and our abilities would be so much different.

Here at Bright Side, we love to discover the really interesting sides of human nature, and today we’ve done some research on what would happen to all of us if we didn’t have nails. You won’t have to pay for a manicure, that’s for sure, but there are so many other things that could leave you amazed, so, let’s take a look at our discovery together.

Your fine motor skills would be a huge challenge.

Claws give you the ability to scratch, climb, and dig holes. But fingernails are critical for fine motor skills. Have you ever wondered about how you can separate book pages or pick up a small item like a needle? It’s because humans have nails.

We can grip big things with our hands and pick up small, thin things too. It’s a very nice balance. It may seem like nails don’t have much sensation, but under this hard shell there’s an intricate network of nerves.

You may be deprived of social bonding.

The development of grooming claws has come from the idea that as our nails became smaller and smaller, we can easier groom ourselves and each other. And that was the reason for more social bonding.

“Nail care isn’t just grooming anymore — it’s self-expression,” writes Nails magazine publisher Cyndy Drummey. This is the easiest way to find a strong connection with people you don’t know so well or to cement a bond you already have.

You might have issues with your health.

One of the reasons we all have fingernails is to keep viruses and bacteria away from our body. So if humans didn’t have nails, we all would get ill more frequently. But, on the other hand, it would mean less dirt could get trapped under our nails, which can cause all sorts of infections.

You would be deprived of a very important signaling organ.

You’d be surprised to discover that fingernails have another important use. They work to tell you about certain health conditions. Without them, it would be harder for us all to tell if we’re ill immediately.

For example, peeling nails may signal there’s an iron deficiency in your body. Or horizontal ridges on the nails might indicate you don’t have enough zinc.

You would become more sensitive to injuries.

The tops of our toes are so vulnerable to injury as you might have learned the hard way by stubbing them. We all have these protective nails on top of our toes which make them less vulnerable to injury.

Which of the effects described above did you find the most surprising? Do you get your nails done in a salon or do you do them yourself? Does your manicure help you bond with other people?

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