Caleb Foster
The record for the longest fingernails in the world is hotly contested, with several notable mentions. Shridhar Chillal of Pune, India, holds the Guinness World Record for the longest fingernails ever reached on a single hand, with a combined length of 909.6 centimetres (358.1 inches). His longest single nail was his thumbnail, which measured 197.8 centimetres (6.5 feet or 77.87 inches). Chillal's nails were so long that he suffered disfigurement of his fingers and loss of function in his left hand, and he eventually had them cut off with a power tool after 66 years of growth.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the person with the longest fingernail | Shridhar Chillal |
| Age | 82 |
| Year | 2018 |
| Country | India |
| City | Pune |
| Length of the longest nail | 197.8 cm or 6.5 feet |
| Combined length of all nails | 909.6 cm or 29 ft 10.1 in |
| Length of nails when laid flat | 31 feet |
| Years nails were grown | 66 years |
| Museum where the nails are displayed | Ripley's Believe It or Not! in New York City |
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What You'll Learn
Shridhar Chillal's 6.5-foot thumbnail
Shridhar Chillal, born on January 29, 1937, is a man from Pune, India, who held the Guinness World Record for the longest fingernails on a single hand. Chillal's journey to achieving his dream of making the Guinness Book of World Records began in the 1950s when he was just 14 years old. After being scolded by a teacher for accidentally breaking a long nail, he decided to stop trimming his nails, hoping to beat the world record one day.
His decision to grow his nails was met with opposition from his family and teachers, and he faced challenges in his daily life. However, his family eventually reconciled with his ambition, and he went on to lead a relatively normal life. He got married, had two children, and worked as a photographer until his retirement in 1995.
Chillal's longest single nail was his thumbnail, which measured a staggering 6.5 feet (2 meters) in length. The cumulative length of his nails on the left hand was about 30 feet (9 meters), which is roughly the same length as a London bus. The weight of his nails took a toll on his health, causing disfigurement of his fingers and loss of function in his left hand. He also experienced nerve damage in his left arm and deafness in his left ear due to the immense weight of the nails.
In July 2018, at the age of 82, Chillal decided to cut his nails using a power tool at the Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum in New York. His nails were then put on display at the museum. By achieving this remarkable feat, Shridhar Chillal's name was forever etched in the Guinness World Records history books.
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Chillal's 66-year growth
Shridhar Chillal of Pune, India, holds the world record for the longest fingernails ever grown on a single hand. Chillal's 66-year growth journey began when he was just 14 years old, after being scolded by a teacher for accidentally breaking his long nail. In parts of India, growing one long nail is considered a status symbol, indicating that the person does not engage in manual labour. Chillal decided to take this idea to the extreme, growing the nails on his left hand for over six decades while keeping the nails on his right hand neatly trimmed.
The result of Chillal's dedication was a set of nails with a combined length of 909.6 centimetres (358.1 inches), which is roughly the length of a London bus. His longest single nail was his thumbnail, measuring an impressive 197.8 centimetres (77.87 inches), or just about 6.5 feet long. To put this into perspective, if laid flat, Chillal's nails would span more than 31 feet.
Chillal's extreme fingernails inevitably led to some challenges and difficulties in his daily life. He experienced disfigurement of his fingers and a loss of function in his left hand, as he was unable to open his hand from a closed position or flex his fingers. The immense weight of the nails also caused nerve damage to his left arm, resulting in deafness in his left ear. Despite these physical limitations, Chillal was able to lead a relatively normal life. He worked professionally as a photographer, using a special handle on his camera to accommodate his nails. He also married and had two children, who now have three children of their own.
In July 2018, at the age of 82, Chillal decided to cut his nails for the first time in 66 years. The "nail clipping ceremony" was held at Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum in Times Square, New York, where the nails are now on display. A technician used a power tool, such as a small circular saw or a rotary tool, to carefully remove the massive lengths of keratin. Chillal's decision to part with his nails after so many years was likely influenced by the increasing physical toll they were taking on his body.
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Fingernail history
Fingernails have a long history, dating back millions of years. In 2011, researchers at the University of Florida discovered the world's oldest known fingernail, belonging to a tiny, lemur-like primate called Teilhardina brandti. This animal is estimated to have lived around 55.8 million years ago and likely used its long nails to grasp small branches as it moved through its forest habitat.
Fast forward to today, and while most people maintain their nails at a more manageable length, some individuals have taken the growth of their fingernails to extreme lengths, quite literally. One such person is Shridhar Chillal of Pune, India, who holds the Guinness World Record for the longest fingernails ever reached on a single hand. Chillal started growing his nails in 1952 when he was just 14 years old after being told off by a teacher for accidentally breaking his long nail. In some parts of India, growing one long nail is considered a status symbol, indicating that the person does not need to participate in manual labor.
Chillal's dedication to his nail growth resulted in a combined length of 909.6 centimeters (358.1 inches) for all his nails, with his thumbnail being the longest at 197.8 centimeters (77.87 inches) or just about 6.5 feet long. Chillal's nails became so long that they affected his daily life; he was unable to open his left hand from a closed position or flex his fingers, and he experienced nerve damage in his left arm from the immense weight of his nails. In 2018, after 66 years of growth, Chillal decided to cut his nails, and they were put on display at Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum in New York City.
While Chillal holds the record for the longest nails on a single hand, Lee Redmond of Salt Lake City, Utah, held the women's record for the longest fingernails on both hands. Unfortunately, she lost her nails in a car accident. The current women's record holder is Ayanna Williams of Houston, Texas, who is a part-time manicurist and uses two to three bottles of nail polish per manicure to keep her nails lacquered.
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Longest female fingernails
The record for the longest female fingernails in the world has been held by several women over the years, with the current record belonging to Diana Armstrong. Armstrong's fingernails were officially measured by Guinness World Records on 13 March 2022, with a total length of 1,306.58 cm (42 ft 10.4 in). This length is longer than a standard yellow school bus!
Armstrong, a 63-year-old from Minnesota, USA, has been growing her nails for over 25 years and has no plans to cut them anytime soon. She dedicates her nails to her daughter, Latisha, who passed away unexpectedly at the age of 16 from an asthma attack. Latisha used to help her mother manicure her nails every weekend, and it was a special bonding activity for them. It now takes Armstrong approximately 4 to 5 hours and more than one whole bottle of nail polish to paint a single nail. She uses a power tool to file her nails, and the process requires the help of her grandchildren, who adorn her nails with colourful patterns.
Before Armstrong, the record for the longest female fingernails was held by Ayanna Williams, also from the US. Williams chose to cut her nails, which had a combined length of 576.4 cm (18 ft 8 in). Lee Redmond, another American woman, held the record for the longest female fingernails from 2008 to 2022, with a nail length of 865 cm (28 ft 4 in). Redmond's nails grew out in huge extended arches, a result of her careful daily manicure routine. She spent hours treating her nails with warm olive oil and applied a bottle and a half of nail hardener to each fingernail every day.
These women with extraordinarily long fingernails have gained worldwide fame and recognition, with their unique trait capturing the attention of many, including the Guinness World Records. Their dedication to growing and maintaining their nails has led to their names being etched in the record books, with each woman holding the title for several years before passing the baton to the next record holder.
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Longest male fingernails
Fingernails can grow to be extremely long, as demonstrated by several male record holders over the years.
Shridhar Chillal
The record for the longest fingernails on a single hand belongs to Shridhar Chillal of Pune, India. Chillal started growing the fingernails on his left hand when he was 14 years old and continued for 66 years until 2018 when he decided to cut them off. His longest nail, the thumbnail, measured 197.8 centimetres (6.5 feet) and his nails had a combined length of 909.6 centimetres (29 feet 10 inches). Chillal's nails are now on display at the Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum in Times Square, New York City.
Melvin Feizel Boothe
Melvin Feizel Boothe from Pontiac, Michigan, held the record for the longest fingernails on a pair of hands ever (male). Melvin started growing his nails in the 1970s and his longest nail, the left thumbnail, measured 114.3 centimetres (45 inches). All his nails had a combined length of 9.85 metres (32 feet 3.8 inches). Unfortunately, Melvin passed away in December 2009, the same year he received his Guinness World Record title.
Other notable mentions
Before these record-breaking males, there were other men with notably long fingernails. In 2015, a man named Chillal (possibly the same person as Shridhar Chillal) had a cumulative nail length of about 30 feet (9 metres) on his left hand.
The decision to grow nails to such lengths can take a toll on one's daily life. Both Chillal and Boothe had to navigate their lives carefully to avoid damaging their nails. Chillal, in particular, was unable to open his left hand from a closed position or flex his fingers.
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Frequently asked questions
The longest fingernail in the world belonged to Shridhar Chillal from Pune, India, and measured 197.8 cm (6.5 ft) long. The nails on his left hand had a combined length of 909.6 cm (358.1 inches or 29 ft 10.1 inches).
Lee Redmond of Salt Lake City, Utah held the record for the longest fingernails on a pair of hands, with a combined length of 8.65m (28 ft 4 in). Redmond lost her nails in a car accident. The current male record holder is Melvin Boothe, and the current female record holder is Ayanna Williams.
Chillal began growing his nails at the age of 14 after being scolded by a teacher for accidentally breaking his long nail. In parts of India, growing one long nail is considered a status symbol, indicating that the person does not need to engage in manual labor.
