# Ladies with like 1 inch nails - how does that work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 26, 2025, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360 "2025-07-26T15:51:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JimNightshade](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jimnightshade/32/3354_2.png) [@JimNightshade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimNightshade)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2025, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360/1 "2025-07-26T15:51:31Z")
Artificial or not. But when you need to wipe at the ladies room, how does that work? As a man, I am confused. I’d be a little scared tbh. 😳 ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2025, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360/2 "2025-07-26T15:58:41Z")
Very carefully and I’m guess artfully but yeah scrub those talons. Ask this guy > **[Marc Jacobs Tells Us Everything About His Nails](https://www.vogue.com/article/marc-jacobs-nails-interview)** > > The designer is tapping his 4-inch acrylics to the beat of his own drum. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2025, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360/3 "2025-07-26T17:02:44Z")
As a (male) guitar player, I have to keep my fretting hand nails very short, or they get in the way when I’m playing. Guessing the same is true for female players. If they want the cosmetic look, I suppose they use artificial ones? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2025, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360/4 "2025-07-26T18:40:59Z")
My brother plays bango using the _scratch_ or _frailing_ method so he likes a bit of nail on his strumming hand. His fret hand nails are short. As far as personal hygiene goes for longer nailed women. Its called _personal_ for a readon. I assume they learn to do all things, like typing and peeling fruit, or any cooking by trial and error. I’ve had artificial nails at times. (Not very long ones). The biggest problem I had was picking up small items. Funny, a nail tech told me to get silly putty to keep around and if I dropped a contact or small pin the putty would pick it up for me. Hey, it worked. ---
**Author:** ![knavette57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knavette57/32/3871_2.png) [@knavette57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knavette57)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2025, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360/5 "2025-07-26T18:49:03Z")
I’d go find a cat chat room and pose this question to them. They would be experts at having long nails! Haha kidding, I know kitties aren’t human…oh wait ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2025, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360/6 "2025-07-26T18:55:02Z")
I grew out my right hand finger nails earlier this year to get some crisper fingerpicking on the guitar and it drove me nuts. They were maybe 3/8” long and typing felt sloppy and playing keyboards just felt wrong. I ended up trimming them all the way back. I have no idea how people with one inch nails do it. That said TP wasn’t a problem, and I don’t see how it would be, but I use wads of toilet paper and my nails don’t get anywhere near getting dirty. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2025, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360/7 "2025-07-26T19:06:19Z")
I never had nails like that, but when I had long nails and wore contact lenses, I learned to insert and remove them with the side of my finger. ---
**Author:** ![mtnmatt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@mtnmatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mtnmatt)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2025, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360/8 "2025-07-26T19:36:08Z")
I’ve kept my right thumb, index and middle fingers slightly longer, for fingerpicking and it is amazing how when they’re just a tiny bit too long, they make it harder to pick, and are way more annoying the rest of the day. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2025, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360/9 "2025-07-26T19:52:22Z")
If you watch any cash register operator or keyboard operator with long nails you quickly see almost all of them use the side or pad of their finger, rather than the tip. Which is not so different from how many people w short nails operate the touch keyboard on their phone. As to wiping, well, that doesn’t seem so difficult. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2025, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360/10 "2025-07-26T20:30:27Z")
> [@JimNightshade](#): > > But when you need to wipe at the ladies room, how does that work? Marc uses his hi tech push button bidet.Preheat the seat. Wash rinse then dry. ---
**Author:** ![DemonTree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demontree/32/8646_2.png) [@DemonTree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DemonTree)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2025, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360/11 "2025-07-26T21:38:31Z")
> [@chela](#): > > Very carefully and I’m guess artfully but yeah scrub those talons. > > Ask this guy > [https://www.vogue.com/article/marc-jacobs-nails-interview](https://www.vogue.com/article/marc-jacobs-nails-interview) Really long nails creep me out. The real ones are even worse: [![](https://media.allure.com/photos/59b14e4f83f7b8546a4865a4/16:9/w_1920,c_limit/nails.jpg) ](https://media.allure.com/photos/59b14e4f83f7b8546a4865a4/16:9/w_1920,c_limit/nails.jpg) How she can do nail art - or anything at all - with those is a mystery. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360/12 "2025-07-27T03:25:15Z")
Yeah, that’s one of Nature’s Subtle Warning Signs. Gal be wack. ---
**Author:** ![Mortimus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Mortimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mortimus)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360/13 "2025-07-27T03:49:01Z")
I worked in a TV news room with a reporter who was very proud of her long nails. She refused to type anything because she might break a nail. Well… back in the day, reporters typed with fingers (not thumbs) on manual typewriters (not electric). She unsuccessfully tried to cajole others into typing her stories for her. She lasted about 5-6 weeks and the only reason she lasted that long was that our news director had a thing for blondes. She was blonde and former Miss Utah to boot. The embodiment of the “bubble headed bleach blonde” in the Don Henley song “Dirty Laundry”. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360/14 "2025-07-27T03:57:26Z")
Nothing subtle about that. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360/15 "2025-07-27T10:24:15Z")
A friend has nails in the 3 inch range. She types on her phone with her knuckle and uses them sort of like chopsticks to pick up small things. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360/16 "2025-07-27T11:14:51Z")
My son has recently grown out his nails. They aren’t crazy long, maybe half a centimeter past his fingers. He says that it’s reduced his accuracy playing phone games where he needs to touch the screen. I assume he’s now using the side of finger and not the tip. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs\_Ducky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrs_ducky/32/6227_2.png) [@Mrs\_Ducky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs_Ducky)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360/17 "2025-07-27T13:56:34Z")
We actually posed this question to a friend of ours whose wife had talons. We said, “How does she wipe her ass with those fingernails as long as they are?” He said, “She pats.” ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2025, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360/18 "2025-07-29T14:57:53Z")
I think that lady finally decided to cut her nails. They couldn’t be clipped she had to get them sawed off. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2025, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360/19 "2025-07-29T15:16:00Z")
She had probably strengthened them with a mechanically strong nail polish. My son had his nails professionally done with something that’s UV hardened, and when he returned to change the color, they removed some of what he had with a Dremel tool, not solvents or a simple file or whatever! He says it’s really hard, much harder than natural nails or the regular nail polish you can buy at the drug store. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2025, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360/20 "2025-07-29T18:56:24Z")
Long nails are disgusting IMHO, for all the reasons listed here. And aside from… wiping (shudder) how the hell do you type on a computer keyboard? You can’t use the sides of your fingers for that. I can’t imagine having to deal with someone that needs help because of this very, very stupid thing. A little long to play guitar, that’s fine. 1” claws that turns you helpless, not so much. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-with-like-1-inch-nails-how-does-that-work/1021360.md?page=2)