The nail is an important structure made of keratin that has 2 purposes. It acts as a protective plate and enhances sensation of the fingertip.
It takes fingernails 3 to 6 months to regrow completely, while taking toenails anywhere from 12 to 18 months. The rate of nail growth is based on the length of the outermost finger bones. Therefore, fingernails grow faster than toenails and the nail of a person's index finger grows faster than their pinky fingernail. The blood supply to the fingers is almost always better than the blood supply to the toes. The rate of nail growth may reflect this.