Here’s What It Means to Be Born With More Than 5 Fingers

Have you ever met someone with more than five fingers in one hand or feet?. Having more than five fingers is a medical condition known as Polydactyly. Polydactyly is a condition in which a person has more than 5 fingers per hand or 5 toes per foot. Polydactyly may be passed down in families. This trait involves only one gene that can cause several variations.

According to Clevelandclinic, the name comes from the Greek poly (many) and dactylos (finger). The extra fingers or toes are described as “supernumerary,” which means “more than the normal number.” There are several types of polydactyly. Most often the extra digit grows next to the fifth finger or toe. The usual treatment is surgery to remove the extra digit.

It’s one of the most common limb differences, affecting one out of every 500 to 1,000 babies. It doesn’t usually cause any health problems for the child as they grow up. As incredible as our hands are, there’s no telling whether they are just right, or merely good enough. Evolutionary biologists don’t know why humans have five digits per limb.

Generally, the form of polydactyly can be of three types: limited additional bump on the side of the hand, two fingertips from a widened finger, or additional digits that hang loosely by a thin cord from the hand. Being born with an extra finger or toe doesn’t mean your baby will have any long-term development issues.