Accessory nail of the fifth toe
The accessory nail of the fifth toe, also known as petaloid toenail, is a physical trait of the small
Description
The trait can be observed on either one or both feet, where there is a separation of the toenail situated on the smallest toe. The separated part of the nail forms a smaller "sixth toenail" on the corner of the larger, or "main" section of the toenail, on the outermost side of the foot, which protrudes outwards from the corner of the larger nail. The additional "nail" can be cut with a nail clipper, just like any other nail.
Causes
The cause is poorly understood due to a lack of research, but
Treatment
Most people do not seek out treatment, because the accessory nail typically does not cause pain or other symptoms that interfere with everyday activities.
Legend
While it was thought to be a prevalent feature amongst Han Chinese,[3] it is observed in people from all ethnicities and races.
Chinese mythology has it that during the time of the Yellow Emperor, there were two types of people living in China: those who were the descendants of the Yellow Emperor, and those who were nomadic Qiang people. The Henan people, led by Yin Wang, attacked the Qiang and abducted a Qiang woman, who later tried to escape. Yin Wang stabbed her in the abdomen as she tried to escape, so she gave birth to two children with a scar on the small toe of the foot. The children were taken back by Yin Wang for adoption, and their descendants were born with double nails on their small toes.[5]
See also
- Congenital malformations of the dermatoglyphs
- Dominance (genetics)
- Epicanthic fold
- List of skin conditions
- Mongolian spot
References
- ^ PMID 27386457.
- PMID 27964859.
- ^ S2CID 7930781.
- ^ "Definition of Matricectomy". MedicineNet. Archived from the original on 2018-02-28. Retrieved 2018-02-27.
- ^ "关于小脚趾两瓣趾甲的传说]" [Regarding the myth of the double toenail] (in Chinese).
External links
