Cosmetology · Nail Science

The whitish, half-moon shape at the base of the nail is called the:

Correct answer

Lunula

  1. A Nail bed
  2. B Free edge
  3. C Lunula
  4. D Cuticle

Why this is the answer

The lunula is the whitish, half-moon-shaped area visible at the base of the natural nail. It is actually the part of the matrix (the nail's growth center) showing through the nail plate. The free edge is the part of the nail that extends past the fingertip, the nail bed is the skin beneath the nail plate, and the cuticle is the dead skin overlapping the nail base. Identifying the parts of the nail unit by their correct names, including the lunula, is core nail science on the exam.
Source: Scientific Concepts — Lunula

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About this topic: Nail Science

Nail science covers the structure of the natural nail (plate, bed, matrix, cuticle), nail growth, and the nail disorders and diseases that determine whether a service can go ahead. This is one of 6 Scientific Concepts questions on nail science, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

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