# What happened to the world's formerly longest fingernails? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 28, 2006, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-worlds-formerly-longest-fingernails/374501 "2006-09-28T15:55:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-worlds-formerly-longest-fingernails/374501/1 "2006-09-28T15:55:08Z")
[Here](http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=1756&e=3&u=/060928/ids_photos_en/r3935485981.jpg) is a picture of the Guinness Book of World Records winner for “longest fingernails.” The last time I looked into Guinness, which I’ll admit was probably 1990, the record-holder was a photographer from India. His fingernails curled into spirals, and he grew them long on only his left hand. I think they were a lot more impressive than this chick’s. What happened to them? Did she outgrow him, did he cut his off, did he die? ---
**Author:** ![FormerMarineGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/65b543/32.png) [@FormerMarineGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FormerMarineGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-worlds-formerly-longest-fingernails/374501/2 "2006-09-28T16:39:24Z")
You mean, you didn’t [bid on them?](http://archives.cnn.com/2000/ASIANOW/southeast/12/12/hongkong.india.fingernails.reut/) ? ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-worlds-formerly-longest-fingernails/374501/3 "2006-09-28T16:45:04Z")
[QUOTE=Sattua] [Here](http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=1756&e=3&u=/060928/ids_photos_en/r3935485981.jpg) is a picture of the Guinness Book of World Records winner for “longest fingernails.” The last time I looked into Guinness, which I’ll admit was probably 1990, the record-holder was a photographer from India. His fingernails curled into spirals, and he grew them long on only his left hand. I think they were a lot more impressive than this chick’s. What happened to them? Did she outgrow him, did he cut his off, did he die? [/QUOTE] Good Lord, that lady’s gonna give me nightmares! :eek: I remember the Indian guy. My guess would be that he cut his nails after getting into the record books. It’s got to be a huge inconvenience to have nails that long and unweildy. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-worlds-formerly-longest-fingernails/374501/4 "2006-09-28T18:24:47Z")
Dang! I only missed the auction by six years! I need to pay closer attention to these things. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-worlds-formerly-longest-fingernails/374501/5 "2006-09-28T19:16:55Z")
Am I the only one wondering what the lady in the linked picture does for a living? I can’t think of anything a person could do with her time with nails that long. Even eating would be a chore. The Indian fellow at least had one useable hand. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-worlds-formerly-longest-fingernails/374501/6 "2006-09-28T21:57:35Z")
What she does for a living? Heck, I was just wondering how she eats and goes to the bathroom. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-worlds-formerly-longest-fingernails/374501/7 "2006-09-28T22:27:35Z")
[QUOTE=Diceman] Good Lord, that lady’s gonna give me nightmares! :eek: [/QUOTE] You can pick your friends. You can pick your nose. But you cannot pick your friend’s nose. However, this lady can do it! From a distance, too! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-worlds-formerly-longest-fingernails/374501/8 "2006-09-28T22:46:39Z")
[QUOTE=dangermom] What she does for a living? Heck, I was just wondering how she eats and goes to the bathroom. [/QUOTE] I seem to recall hearing that she was a hairdresser. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-worlds-formerly-longest-fingernails/374501/9 "2006-09-28T22:48:13Z")
[QUOTE=Jayn\_Newell] I seem to recall hearing that she was a hairdresser. [/QUOTE] How? She can’t massage a scalp or wash the shampoo through someone’s hair. Wielding scissors would mean she’s close to putting someone’s eye out with those talons!