# FINGERNAILS (AND TOENAILS)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingernails-and-toenails/9137>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 25, 2000, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingernails-and-toenails/9137 "2000-03-25T03:54:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![djf750](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@djf750](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/djf750)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingernails-and-toenails/9137/1 "2000-03-25T03:54:00Z")

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why do we have them?

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**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingernails-and-toenails/9137/2 "2000-03-25T03:58:00Z")

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To keep the economy going. Without them rich women wouldn’t be able to employe servants to paint them while they eat bon bons…OK the flames begin 🙂

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**Author:** ![Lor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ea666f/32.png) [@Lor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lor)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingernails-and-toenails/9137/3 "2000-03-25T04:42:00Z")

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That’s easy. They probably were a means of self-defense in early hominids, and later on just kind of evolved into aids for picking up things and for climbing around. Or, as my mother would say, they help protect the ends of your fingers and toes. Take your pick!

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**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingernails-and-toenails/9137/4 "2000-03-25T05:16:00Z")

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Well, before we evolved from monkees…  
Sorry to steal your flames, Markxxx. 😃  
Peace,  
mangeorge

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I only know two things;  
I know what I need to know  
And  
I know what I want to know  
Mangeorge, 2000

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**Author:** ![Major\_Feelgud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3be4f8/32.png) [@Major\_Feelgud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Major_Feelgud)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2000, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingernails-and-toenails/9137/5 "2000-03-25T06:34:00Z")

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Well these things are hinderances more than help. Cutting your nails too close hurts like heck. If you were to fight like an animal it’s likely you’d rip your nails off the nail bed and it’d hurt like heck.

But on the other hand, how would you ever pick your nose or sratch your back without fingernails?