Four Tiny Body Parts That Matter

By Allison Ford, DivineCaroline

It’s sometimes hard to know which parts of the human body serve a purpose and which parts don’t. Sometimes it’s obvious–feet and fingers are important, while evolutionary remnants like the appendix aren’t. Thumbs are an absolute necessity, while we could quite easily live without earlobes.

The purpose of some parts of the body, though, is a little less clear. Are they really contributing to our overall health and welfare, or are they just another bothersome area to scrub in the shower? These four body parts may seem trivial, but without them, things just wouldn’t be the same.

The Eyelashes Grab It
We may think of long, lush eyelashes as signs only of fertility and attractiveness, but they are important for eye health, too. Lashes trap debris and dirt, preventing it from coming in contact with our eyes, which could cause injuries. Eyelashes’ roots also have connections to nerve endings, and a foreign object brushing up against the lashes can trigger a neurological reflex to close the eye, keeping it protected. Even though eyelashes serve an important purpose, however, people can live without them. The size and thickness of lashes vary widely among people, and those with certain forms of alopecia or who are undergoing chemotherapy often have no lashes at all. Although these people don’t suffer from any seriously debilitating effects, they do have to work a little harder to protect their eyes from irritants. For most people, the lack of eyelashes is more a cosmetic concern than a medical one, and many resort to false lashes or lash-enhancing medications and procedures.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

andrew h.

8:14AM PST on Jan 12, 2012

thanks

few mm size pineal gland too- thought to be important for intuition, but it also helps produce melatonin

avoid fluoride (e.g in toothpaste) as it likely adds fluoride to your body which may especially accumulate in pineal (i.e avoid fluoride containing dental products to start)

send a green star

jennifer c.

2:32AM PST on Dec 28, 2011

very interesting article. the parts they told us about blew my mind. i didnt think these would be the parts

Shawn P.

6:15AM PST on Dec 27, 2011

Interesting, and not what I thought they would be, lol...........

Neil A.

12:33PM PST on Dec 25, 2011

I love strong eye lashes & brows, especially dark ones very attractive. I wish women would not pluck so much then pencil in Ugly lines!

Silvia W.

6:43AM PST on Dec 25, 2011

Yeah, I'd just as soon get rid of the toenails! Mine hurt, as they are ingrown, and I keep having to get them trimmed by the podiatrist.

Ankita R.

8:07PM PST on Dec 24, 2011

thanx

New G.

6:43PM PST on Dec 19, 2011

Interesting.

Sarah M.

12:39PM PST on Dec 10, 2011

interesting

Anne B.

12:00PM PST on Dec 5, 2011

I'll keep all 4 tiny body parts none-the-less, thank you!

Dolly B.

11:34AM PST on Dec 4, 2011

Interesting article. I wondered why hair and nails grow at the same time (not so much after puberty) and the point that they're made of the same material is probably part of the reason at least.