# Girly hormone question for docs. Not really TMI.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girly-hormone-question-for-docs-not-really-tmi/172736>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 2, 2003, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girly-hormone-question-for-docs-not-really-tmi/172736 "2003-05-02T22:16:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Iteki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eada6e/32.png) [@Iteki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iteki)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girly-hormone-question-for-docs-not-really-tmi/172736/1 "2003-05-02T22:16:54Z")

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Been wondering about something for a while.  
Am I imagining it, or do my nails grow a lot faster around “that time of the month” (dum-dum-DUM)? I keep my nails short, and it seems like they grow much more than usual then. If so I would guess it has to be hormones causing it?

Any docs know if this is for real or if I am just imagining it?

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**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girly-hormone-question-for-docs-not-really-tmi/172736/2 "2003-05-02T23:46:10Z")

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I have no idea whether estrogen and progesterone affect nail growth. If they do, I can’t imagine the differences would be that dramatic.

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**Author:** ![PhuQan\_G\_Nyus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f14d63/32.png) [@PhuQan\_G\_Nyus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhuQan_G_Nyus)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girly-hormone-question-for-docs-not-really-tmi/172736/3 "2003-05-03T05:01:58Z")

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it likely has a lot to do with your bodies retaining and then losing excess water. The bloating effect tends to be pronounced in the fingers so a few days of retaining water can make your nails seem shorter, followed by them appearing longer when the swelling goes away.  
Vitamin seficiencies can cause slower nail growth and many things can affect strength but I don’t thikn there is any hormonal relevance. (i am not an expert on nail growth 🙂 )

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**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girly-hormone-question-for-docs-not-really-tmi/172736/4 "2003-05-03T15:22:43Z")

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I suppose a little excess water at the fingertip would make the name seem shorter, but the OP states the nail grows more (the opposite effect). Also most people don’t become that edematous. Frankly, it could be your imagination. Other possible (and unlikely) expalnations:

1. Nail growth could be affected by gonadotropins from the hypothalamus, which may have some factors in common with growth hormone, and which operate on a feedback loop with FSH and LH.

2. Thyroid levels could change during the menstrual cycle.

3. Microcirculation to the nail could become less effective during high estrogen states due to minature thrombi.