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This month, tune in to a special series featuring guests on the Science of Raising Kids.

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You're listening to Life Kit from NPR.

Hey, it's Mariel.

I am always impressed by the designs people have on their nails.

Nail art truly is an art.

I saw a video the other day of a nail tech painting a portrait of

bad money on her nails, and I said, get chevere, Nina. But our nails are far from just aesthetic.

They're essential to our daily routines. If you lose a nail, try picking up a coin off the floor,

or try buttoning your shirt. It's hard or almost impossible to do.

This is Dr. Sherry Lipner, a professor of clinical dermatology

and director of the nail division at Wild Cornell Medical Center.

Yeah, they have an entire nail division.

She says, along with being tools that help us handle small objects,

our nails can enhance our sense of touch

and protect the

thousands of nerve endings in our fingertips. And yet...

But some odd reason, I don't know where that came from, that would be bypassed caring for

our fingernails. Our fingernails are indicators, number one.

...