The dead tissue attached to the natural nail plate is the _____.

The dead tissue attached to the natural nail plate is the _____.

• A. Cuticle
• B. Nail bed
• C. Eponychium
• D. Hyponychium

Answer: (A)

The dead tissue attached to the natural nail plate is the cuticle. This thin layer of dead skin sits at the base of the nail, overlapping the nail plate and helping seal and protect the matrix from infection. The living skin that covers the nail root is the eponychium, not dead tissue. The hyponychium is the skin underneath the free edge, and the nail bed is the skin beneath the nail plate that nourishes it. Understanding these distinctions helps explain why cuticle care focuses on gently treating the dead tissue while preserving the living skin.

The dead tissue attached to the natural nail plate is the cuticle. This thin layer of dead skin sits at the base of the nail, overlapping the nail plate and helping seal and protect the matrix from infection. The living skin that covers the nail root is the eponychium, not dead tissue. The hyponychium is the skin underneath the free edge, and the nail bed is the skin beneath the nail plate that nourishes it. Understanding these distinctions helps explain why cuticle care focuses on gently treating the dead tissue while preserving the living skin.