Nail Technician Professional - Qp2

Nails can provide valuable clues about a person's overall health. Discolouration or deformity of nails can indicate underlying medical conditions such as nutritional deficiencies, fungal infections, liver or kidney disease, or even certain types of cancer. Therefore, it is true that discolouration or deformity of nails can be symptoms of disease in the body.

The correct answer is "matrix". The matrix is the area beneath the fold of skin above the nail where the nails start to grow. It is responsible for producing new nail cells, which then push forward and harden to form the visible part of the nail. The matrix contains specialized cells that divide and differentiate to form the various components of the nail, including the nail plate and the nail bed.

Serious illness can cause clubbing of nails, which is a condition where the nails become abnormally curved and thickened. This can be caused by the nature of the illness itself, such as lung or heart diseases, where decreased oxygen levels in the blood can lead to clubbing. Additionally, the drugs used to control the underlying disease can also contribute to clubbing of nails. Therefore, it is true that serious illness can cause clubbing of nails.

Discoloration of the nails can occur due to various reasons. A simple knock to the nail can cause white marks to appear, which is known as leukonychia. Anaemia can cause the base of the nail to become pale in color due to decreased blood flow. Liver disease can cause the base of the nail to become white, known as Terry's nails. However, being overweight is not a known cause of nail discoloration.

The hand and wrist consist of fourteen phalanges, which are the bones in the fingers and thumb. It also consists of twenty seven bones and tendons, which provide structure and support to the hand and wrist. Additionally, there are eight carpals, which are the bones that make up the wrist, and five metacarpals, which are the bones that connect the carpals to the phalanges.

The nail is well supplied with lymph vessels, blood vessels, and nerve endings. Lymph vessels are responsible for draining excess fluid and waste products from the nail, while blood vessels provide oxygen and nutrients to the nail cells. Nerve endings allow for the sensation of touch and pain in the nail.