the point of toenails

[ewx]

What use are toenails? About the only one I can think of is as a surface for painting on.

(I ask because a someone lost a toenail last night at karate. Accidents do happen, but it's a good reminder to keep nails trimmed...)

Comments

[ewx.livejournal.com]

Perhaps they are, but for all I know there are people out there who find them really useful for some purpose or other. Certainly they're not in any way essential.

[armb.livejournal.com]

I used to know someone who had all his toenails surgically removed (because they tended to ingrow, IIRC). As far as I know it didn't cause him any problems.
I think they can provide some protection against minor impacts and squashing, when barefoot or wearing sandals. Balancing that against the risk of tearing them out being more painful than not having them might be difficult to assess though.
I gather losing a few small toes to frostbite doesn't cause problems, but losing big toes does noticably affect balance. Losing toenails must be less of a problem than losing whole toes.

[oldbloke.livejournal.com]

My aunt did, for the same reason. I've never seen what it looks like though.