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

[antinomy.livejournal.com]

I think they're less useful to us than to just about any other mammal - from animals that use them for scratching or for purchase, to horses, cattle etc who walk on them... I think they're mostly vestigeal in us, though ISTR a ballerina friend of mine claiming that having them the right length etc was essential for pointe work.