# How long should a man's fingernails be? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 4, 2005, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817 "2005-06-04T01:27:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817/41 "2005-06-06T16:13:19Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > [What is this “white” of which you speak?](http://home.earthlink.net/~ahunter/Upload_Download/nails.jpg) Ick! I hate fingernails where there ain’t no white. Perfect nail length has white of 1-2 mm. I never use clippers, just bite one end and peel with the other hand. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817/42 "2005-06-06T16:19:02Z")
Naah, perfect nail length _is_ 1-2 mm. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817/43 "2005-06-06T20:06:39Z")
If the skin at the tip of your finger ever rises above the surface of the nail itself, the nail is too short. I can’t understand how people can trim or bite their nails that short… it hurts if I cut mine much shorter than they are now. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817/44 "2005-06-07T04:19:28Z")
Long enough that he can scratch your back. But not so long that…well, has anyone seen Last Tango in Paris? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817/45 "2005-06-07T07:22:19Z")
> [@Mr2001](#): > > If the skin at the tip of your finger ever rises above the surface of the nail itself, the nail is too short. I can’t understand how people can trim or bite their nails that short… it hurts if I cut mine much shorter than they are now. I can flip my hands upside down and type with the top sides with plenty of skin so that the nails need never touch down. I’ve made progress over the years. The nailbeds have been in retreat for decades now. I will prevail! Soon they will be gone, done and over with! Nothing but consistently smooth skin wrapping back around and blending in borderlessly with the skin below the knuckles. When you make new incursions, it only hurts for a day or two, and if you just squeeze where it bleeds with a tightly wound paper towel it stops and sometimes you can even pull another strip at that point, it doesn’t really get much worse to continue with it. ---
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817/46 "2005-06-07T16:54:42Z")
Viola player here. Short, short, short, almost nonexistant. All the time. I cut my nails about twice a week. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817/47 "2005-06-07T17:17:09Z")
I’d say that just about as short as you can get them by nibbling them off without chewing off the ends of your fingers and ripping out a cuticle. Yes dammit, I was kidding. ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817/48 "2005-06-07T21:21:12Z")
I don’t care how long a man keeps his nails. My dad’s nails have always been long. I’ve never really paid attention to guy’s nails as a whole. But DeHusband must keep his nails short. Short enough for \*intimate \* contact. Or else he doesn’t \*get \* intimate contact. One scratch and the mood is gone, buddy! ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817/49 "2005-06-07T22:52:57Z")
Checking in for: long nails on men skeeves me out. First, it’s apparent that I’m a child of the 80s because when I read (hear/see) “long pinky nail” I think, “coke finger” as in, needing one long fingernail to scoop cocaine out of the little stash bottle. I assume all men with one long pinky fingernail are cokeheads, I’m sorry. I had no idea there was another use. Second, I prefer the nails to be really short and clean. I don’t need a back scratch. And I don’t need an at-home speculum-free pap smear either. I think about where a man might _put_ those hands and : shudder : That’s it. I’m skeeved out. Lesson for ya boys: clean and trim those nails if you want to get lucky. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817/50 "2005-06-08T00:48:06Z")
Nothing worse than discovering a hangnail at the wrong moment. And not being able to find the nailclippers you could have sworn were in your travel kit. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Black\_Hand\_Gang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@The\_Black\_Hand\_Gang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Black_Hand_Gang)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817/51 "2005-06-08T01:05:00Z")
I play classical guitar, so I’ve got the long nails on the right hand and short as possible on the left hand (the easiest way to tell when someone plays classical guitar) I didn’t know girls hated long nails so much on guys. ---
**Author:** ![longnails](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/df788c/32.png) [@longnails](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/longnails)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2015, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817/52 "2015-02-15T15:18:14Z")
I keep my nails very long, very clean, and coated with very thick coats of clear polish. Because they are so clean, straight, and shiny they look like glass and attract a lot of attention and compliments. They are in a class all their own. Hey, got tired of growing mustaches. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2015, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817/53 "2015-02-15T15:36:09Z")
> [@GingerOfTheNorth](#): > > Short is my personal preference. Long nails on guys skeeves me out, for some reason. skeeves me out on women too. My banjo teacher has long nails on his picking hand. I use metal picks. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2015, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817/54 "2015-02-15T15:45:14Z")
I’ve read before that the nails can keep growing even after death. But I thought the Mythbusters proved it was only true of zombies? ---
**Author:** ![Loch\_Raven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Loch\_Raven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loch_Raven)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2015, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817/55 "2015-02-15T19:01:48Z")
Gotta agree, long nails on a man just gives me an upset stomach. Yech. As short as you can possibly get them without cutting the quick. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2015, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817/56 "2015-02-16T03:35:44Z")
8/10 are governed by the guitar. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2015, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817/57 "2015-02-16T03:48:13Z")
Long fingernails on men are fine, but only if filed to a point and used as a weapon. ---
**Author:** ![1debbie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/958977/32.png) [@1debbie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1debbie)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817/58 "2016-02-29T14:48:30Z")
Being as im a transvestite i have no qualms about long female of my nails ,its just keeping them that length and out of sight of my wife who says there only room for one girl in the house ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817/59 "2016-02-29T15:42:07Z")
> [@1debbie](#): > > Being as im a transvestite i have no qualms about long female of my nails ,its just keeping them that length and out of sight of my wife who says there only room for one girl in the house Welcome aboard, **debbie**! I’m genderqueer myself, albeit a malebodied girlish person with really really SHORT nails. The thread you replied to is a 2005 vintage thread. The board culture here kind of discourages bumping ancient threads like that unless it’s a “factual question” thread and you’ve got an answer for it or something. Better to start a new thread when it’s an opinion or a just-chatting kind of post. ---
**Author:** ![1debbie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/958977/32.png) [@1debbie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1debbie)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2016, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817/60 "2016-02-29T16:26:58Z")
Ok am getting the message sorry on my part for any mishap [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-should-a-mans-fingernails-be/306817.md?page=4)