æz ðə nˈeɪl ɡɹˈoʊz, ðɪ ˈɛɹiə klˈoʊsɪst tə bᵻkˈʌmɪŋ ɛkspˈoʊzd tə ðɪ aʊtsˈaɪd wˈɜːld dɪstˈæl pɹədˈuːsᵻz ðə dˈiːpɚ lˈeɪɚz ʌvðə nˈeɪl plˈeɪt, wˌaɪl ðə pˈɑːɹt ʌvðə nˈeɪl mˈeɪtɹɪks dˈiːpɚɹ ɪnsˈaɪd ðə fˈɪŋɡɚ pɹˈɑːksɪməl mˌeɪks ðə sˈuːpɚfˈɪʃəl lˈeɪɚz.
As the nail grows, the area closest to becoming exposed to the outside world (distal) produces the deeper layers of the nail plate, while the part of the nail matrix deeper inside the finger (proximal) makes the superficial layers.