# What's worse: excessively long fingernails or drawn-on eyebrows? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 26, 2011, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-worse-excessively-long-fingernails-or-drawn-on-eyebrows/583291 "2011-05-26T14:49:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-worse-excessively-long-fingernails-or-drawn-on-eyebrows/583291/61 "2011-05-27T23:04:29Z")
Glad you cleared that up, **Lynn** ; the minutiae of the convenience store’s set up is clearly very relevant to the topic at hand. Now, if you all will excuse me, I just noticed that my fingernails are _far_ too clean. I need to rub some feces under them, lest anyone mistakenly believe I am capable of basic personal hygiene. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2011, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-worse-excessively-long-fingernails-or-drawn-on-eyebrows/583291/62 "2011-05-27T23:18:14Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > I think you’re missing my point about the infections. It isn’t that you get an infection between your natural nail and where the acrylic is smacked on-- you would still get that theoretical infection in the regular place: your nail bed. The difference is that if there is no polish or acrylic or gel on your nails, you’ll be quicker to identify something is off than if that area is covered. So, because things can go undetected longer, folks who regularly paint their nails or put on acrylic tips or whatever are more likely to keep their stuff clean, because that is a better way to fend off infections. OK, and I’m not arguing with you, but I did google it because I was curious, and fungus in between the nail and the fake nail [can be a problem](http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/acrylic-nails/AN01261). This article doesn’t give any idea of how frequently it’s a problem (could have happened to one person in the course of history) but it is something to watch for. Which, presumably, you do. Just saying, is all. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-worse-excessively-long-fingernails-or-drawn-on-eyebrows/583291/63 "2011-05-28T01:10:32Z")
I have/have had several good friends that are cosmotologists and do mani/pedis regularly, and according to them yes, many women with long painted nails let them get pretty foul underneath, with no apparent shame. Some beauticians will clean out under their customers nails thoroughly (despite their own disgust)- some don’t. Feet are even worse. Part of the reason I started keeping my nails ‘long’ full time was because they’re easier to clean. Stuff doesn’t get jammed all the way down in there like when they’re short. Having something under my nails is both an unbearable feeling, and looks nasty. I’m so anal about it I reflexively clean out under my nails a couple times per day (even when nothing is visible) - I did this when my nails never went past the end of my fingertip, too. So I guess I can see both sides. Personally I like to keep under my nails very clean, but many women don’t seem to care, and if you have longer, painted nails there is more room to store crud _and_ you can only see it if you check out the underside of your nails… ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-worse-excessively-long-fingernails-or-drawn-on-eyebrows/583291/64 "2011-05-28T01:23:32Z")
Those long twisty nails look like a deformity. Creepy as hell. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-worse-excessively-long-fingernails-or-drawn-on-eyebrows/583291.md?page=3)