Caleb Foster
The record for the longest fingernails in the world is a highly contested title. The current female record holder is Ayanna Williams, whose nails measured 733.55 cm (24 ft 0.7 in) in 2021. The overall record for the longest fingernails ever was held by Shridhar Chillal, whose nails had a combined length of 909.6 cm (358.1 in) or almost 30 feet. Chillal's longest single nail was his thumbnail, which measured 197.8 cm (6.5 feet).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the person with the longest nail | Shridhar Chillal |
| Age | 82 |
| Year of record | 2018 |
| Country | India |
| City | Pune |
| Length of the longest nail | 6.5 feet or 197.8 cm |
| Length of all nails | 909.6 cm or 30 feet |
| Reason for growing nails | Told off by a teacher for accidentally breaking his long nail |
| Difficulties faced due to long nails | Disfigurement of fingers, loss of function in his left hand, nerve damage to his left arm, deafness in his left ear |
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What You'll Learn
Shridhar Chillal's 6.5-foot thumbnail
Shridhar Chillal, a man from Pune, India, holds the Guinness World Record for the longest fingernails ever grown on a single hand. His nails, which he started growing in 1952, had a cumulative length of 909.6 cm (358.1 inches or 29.84 feet) when they were last measured. Chillal's longest individual nail was his thumbnail, which measured 197.8 cm (77.87 inches or 6.5 feet).
Chillal's decision to grow his nails was inspired by an incident with one of his teachers when he was 14 years old. One of Chillal's friends accidentally broke the teacher's long nail, resulting in both boys receiving a beating. When they asked why the teacher was so angry, he replied, "unless you grow long nails, you will never understand the kind of care required not to break them." This experience sparked Chillal's obsession with growing his nails, despite the opposition of his family and teachers.
Over the years, Chillal faced numerous challenges due to the length of his nails. He struggled with finding employment and was rejected by potential romantic partners and their families. Additionally, the weight of his nails caused disfigurement of his fingers and loss of function in his left hand. He also experienced nerve damage in his left arm, which led to deafness in his left ear.
In 2015, Chillal announced that he was ready to cut his nails, acknowledging the difficulties they caused in his daily life. On July 11, 2018, he had his nails cut with a power tool at the Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum in New York. He planned to preserve his nails in a museum.
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Fingernails' growth mechanism
Fingernails are made of a tough, rigid protein called alpha-keratin, which is also found in the claws, hooves, and horns of vertebrates. The nail consists of three main parts: the nail plate, the nail matrix, and the nail bed. The nail plate is the actual fingernail, made of translucent keratin, and it's the part that we can see. The pinkish appearance of the nail comes from the blood vessels underneath it. The nail matrix is the active tissue that generates cells, and it's also known as the germinal matrix or the matrix unguis. It lies beneath the skin at the inner edge of the nail plate and is responsible for about 90% of nail growth. As new cells grow, they advance forward to form the nail, hardening as they move outward from the nail root to the nail plate. The nail bed, also known as the sterile matrix, extends from the edge of the nail root to the tissue known as the hyponychium. It contains blood vessels, nerves, and melanocytes that produce melanin. The nail root determines the length of the nail, while the nail bed determines the thickness.
The growth of fingernails is influenced by various factors, including age, sex, season, exercise level, diet, and hereditary factors. On average, fingernails grow at a rate of approximately 3.5 mm per month, while toenails grow about half as fast at around 1.6 mm per month. It takes about three to six months for fingernails to regrow completely, while toenails require twelve to eighteen months. The growth rate can also vary between different fingers. Additionally, nail growth can be affected by certain health conditions and medications. For example, chemotherapy and peripheral artery disease can slow nail growth, and fungal infections can cause thick, yellow, cracked, or cloudy nails. Vitamin deficiencies, such as a lack of vitamin A, vitamin D, calcium, or vitamin B12, can also lead to dryness, brittleness, darkened nails, or curved nail ends.
While most people keep their nails trimmed and polished, some individuals have taken the challenge of growing their nails to extraordinary lengths. Shridhar Chillal of India holds the record for the longest fingernails on a single hand, with a combined length of 909.6 cm (358.1 in) or about 30 feet. Chillal's thumbnail, the longest of his nails, measures 6.5 feet (2 m) long and ends in a coil. Chillal's impressive nail growth has not been without its challenges, impacting his daily life and even affecting his employment and personal life.
Another notable mention is Lee Redmond, who held the record for the longest fingernails on a pair of hands (female) and still retains the longest-ever title. While the exact measurement of her nails is not mentioned, it is safe to say that they were exceptionally long. Other record holders include Melvin Boothe, with a combined nail length of 32 ft 3.8 in (9.85 m) on his hands, and Ayanna Williams, whose nails measured 24 ft 0.7 in (733.55 cm) when last measured in March 2021.
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Longest male fingernails
The record for the longest male fingernails on a single hand goes to Shridhar Chillal from Pune, India. Chillal only grew the nails on his left hand, and they reached a combined length of 909.6 cm (29 ft 10 in) before he cut them in 2018 after 66 years of growth. His longest single nail, his thumbnail, measured 197.8 cm (6 1/2 ft or 77.87 inches). Chillal faced several difficulties due to the weight of his fingernails, including disfigurement of his fingers and loss of function in his left hand. He also claims that nerve damage to his left arm caused deafness in his left ear.
Chillal's fingernails were cut with a power tool at the Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum in Times Square, New York City, and they are now on display there. Three of his fingernails are also exhibited at Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
The record for the longest male fingernails on a pair of hands ever was held by Melvin Feizel Boothe from Pontiac, Michigan. His nails had a combined length of 9.85 m (32 ft 3.8 in), with his left thumbnail being the longest single nail at 114.3 cm (45 in). Melvin started growing his nails in the 1970s as a hobby and was 61 when he received his Guinness World Records title in 2009. Unfortunately, he passed away in December of the same year.
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Longest female fingernails
The record for the longest female fingernails on a single hand goes to Ayanna Williams, whose nails measured a combined length of 576.4 centimetres (189.09 inches) in 2018. Williams, who is from the United States, began growing her nails as a child and has expressed pride in her record-breaking nails. However, she has faced challenges in performing day-to-day activities due to their weight.
Lee Redmond of Salt Lake City, Utah, held the record for the longest female fingernails on a pair of hands from 2008 to 2022. Her nails measured 8.65 metres (28 feet 4 inches) in total length. Redmond's longest individual nail was her right thumb, which grew to 90 centimetres (2 feet 11 inches). She decided to stop filing her nails in 1979 to see how long they would grow, and they became her identity over the 30 years she nurtured them. Unfortunately, Redmond lost her nails in an accident.
Diana Armstrong, also from the United States, claimed the title of the longest female fingernails on a pair of hands in 2022. Her nails measured an astonishing 1,306.58 centimetres (42 feet 10.4 inches) in total length, more than twice the length of the previous record held by Redmond. Armstrong's longest nail is her right thumbnail, measuring 4 feet 6.7 inches, while her shortest is her left pinkie at 3 feet 7 inches. Armstrong's nails hold a special significance as she dedicates them to her daughter, who passed away unexpectedly at the age of 16. The two of them used to do their nails together, and Armstrong chose to never cut her nails again as a way of keeping her daughter's memory close.
While these women have achieved remarkable records with their nail lengths, it is important to note that extremely long fingernails can lead to physical challenges and functional difficulties, as demonstrated by Shridhar Chillal of India, who held the record for the longest male fingernails on a single hand. Chillal's longest nail was about 6.5 feet long, and he experienced disfigurement of his fingers, loss of function in his left hand, and nerve damage that caused deafness in his left ear.
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Longest toenails
The world record for the longest toenails belonged to Louise Hollis from Compton, California. Hollis began growing her toenails in 1981 after being inspired by a TV program featuring the longest fingernails. When officially measured in 1991, the combined length of all ten toenails was 220.98 cm (87 inches). Hollis's toenails continued to grow, and by the time she appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in the early 2000s, she quipped that she had to "walk softly and carry a big stick." Hollis passed away in December 2024 at the age of 86.
On the topic of the world's longest fingernails, Shridhar Chillal of Pune, India, holds the record for the longest fingernails ever reached on a single hand. Chillal stopped cutting his nails in 1952 and let them grow for over six decades. His longest single nail was his thumbnail, which measured 197.8 cm (77.87 inches). When last measured, his nails had a combined length of 909.6 cm (358.1 inches or 29 feet 10.1 inches), about the same length as a London bus. Chillal's nails caused him significant physical difficulties, including disfigurement of his fingers, loss of function in his left hand, and nerve damage to his left arm. In July 2018, at the age of 82, Chillal had his fingernails cut off with a power tool at the Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum in Times Square, New York. His nails are now on display at the museum.
Another notable mention is Ayanna Williams, who holds the world record for the longest fingernails on a single hand for a woman, with a combined length of 576.4 cm (189.09 inches). Williams, like Chillal, faced challenges in performing daily tasks due to the weight and length of her nails.
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Frequently asked questions
The longest single nail in the world was 197.8cm (6.5 feet) long and belonged to Shridhar Chillal from India.
Shridhar Chillal's nails had a combined length of 909.6cm (358.1 inches or 29 feet 10.1 inches).
Since Ayanna Williams cut her nails, no one holds the record for the longest nails in the world now.
Ayanna Williams' nails had a combined length of 733.55cm (24 feet 0.7 inches) when measured in March 2021.
People with long nails can face a variety of difficulties, including issues with day-to-day activities such as washing dishes, putting on sheets, and buttoning jeans. Long nails can also cause disfigurement of fingers and loss of function in the hand.
