In a world brimming with unique forms of self-expression, Diana Armstrong’s journey stands out as truly remarkable. It’s not just her extraordinary nail length that captures attention; it’s the heartfelt story behind them. Measuring an astonishing about 42 feet (13 meters), Diana now holds the world record for the longest fingernails on a woman, more than doubling the previous record. Since learning that she hasn’t trimmed her nails in 27 years, many are left wondering the same question about her incredible talons.

This Minneapolis woman has officially claimed the title for the longest fingernails ever recorded on a female, according to an announcement from Guinness. Armstrong is now recognized in two categories: “longest fingernails on a pair of hands (female)” and “longest fingernails on a pair of hands ever (female).”

Her remarkable extreme nails measure a staggering 42 ft 10.4 in (1,306.58 cm) — equivalent to the height of LeBron James six times over, with a bit more than two feet to spare. For context, the NBA star stands at 6 feet 9 inches tall.

Notably, her right thumbnail stands out as the longest, stretching 4 ft 6.7 in (138.94 cm), while her shortest nail, the left pinky, measures a respectable 3 ft 7 in (109.2 cm).

From a young age, the Texan had a passion for nails and nail art. She fondly recalls moments spent asking her mother to measure her nails and wondering if she could paint them in vibrant colors. “I’ve always had long nails, but not to this extent. Even when I was little, I always had longer fingernails. My mom always grew her nails, so I always had nails like my mom,” shared Armstrong.

The story took a tragic turn in 1997 when Armstrong faced the heart-wrenching loss of her 16-year-old daughter. It began as an ordinary day. She asked her children to get up before heading to the grocery store.

While shopping, she received a distressing call from her other daughter. “Ma, Tisha won’t wake up,” she reported, sending Armstrong racing home, only to discover that her daughter, Latisha, had tragically passed away in her sleep from an asthma attack. “That was the worst day of my life,” she recalled.

The day before her death, Latisha had polished her mother’s nails, and Armstrong simply couldn’t bring herself to trim them after that. “She was the only one who did my nails. She polished them and filed them for me,” she shared, revealing that she struggled with depression for nearly a decade following Latisha’s death.

“Every time I look at my nails I think of my daughter. I think she’s my guardian angel,” she added.

While the sentiment behind her longest nails is touching, many have taken to social media with curious questions. One user wondered, “How does she clean herself with those?” Another added, “How does she wipe? Genuine curiosity,” while a third person asked, “Has she ever worked? There’s no way she could do anything herself.”

Armstrong has a straightforward answer to these queries. In an interview after achieving her record, she explained, “Well, you know, when I go to the bathroom, it’s the same as anyone else going to the bathroom; I just work with my nails probably in a different way than they would.” She elaborated, “I use a lot of toilet paper. I don’t wrap it around my hand like some people do; I can’t do it that way because it just won’t work.”

She has made other lifestyle adjustments as well, opting to avoid clothes with zippers and giving up driving, as her lengthy nails make those tasks quite challenging.

Ayanna faced daily challenges with her extraordinarily long nails, finding some activities nearly impossible, like washing dishes and making the bed. “I have to be very, very careful with my movements,” she explained. “I’m always mentally preparing for the next step to ensure I don’t hurt myself or break my nails. But I’m excited about cutting them because I’m looking forward to new beginnings.”

Ayanna experienced a range of reactions from those who noticed her nails in public, most of which were positive and encouraging — especially from children. “I love when kids come up to me and say, ‘Are those your nails?!’ I reply, ‘Yeah,’ and then I ask, ‘How old are you?’ They might say, ‘I’m ten or I’m seven,’ and I say, ‘Guess how old my nails are? They’re 28 years! They’re older than you!’”

At first, they were puzzled by her decision to grow them out, but when they learned it was in memory of their sibling, they embraced it.

Armstrong explained, “My kids never knew why I was growing them. I didn’t tell anybody. I kept it to myself until I finally told them why I was growing them. And they were like, ‘Why didn’t you tell us that?’ because everybody was getting embarrassed about what people were saying. It made them feel bad, so I felt bad, so I just told them: ‘Y’all can tell me to cut my nails, but I just can’t do it.’”

Now, Armstrong’s grandchildren are the ones responsible for maintaining her nails, often dedicating up to five hours to filing and polishing them — using as many as 20 bottles of nail polish in a single session.

When she officially received the certificate recognizing her extraordinary achievement, Armstrong was overwhelmed with emotion. “I think Latisha would be proud of me because she’s the last one who did my nails,” she reflected. “That’s who I think of when I grow my nails: my daughter.”

Ayanna’s delicate nails will now be preserved and displayed at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum in Orlando, Florida, something she is thrilled about. “It’s going to be awesome. It’s like a wax figure of myself, even though it’s just my nails. I can’t wait to see it; I’ll be grinning from ear to ear. Just think about it — it’s amazing!”

While her journey has certainly been unforgettable, Ayanna looks forward to the future and the legacy her record will create for generations to come, especially for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Long nails have become a hot trend lately, adorning the hands of stars like Cardi B and Billie Eilish. However, biologist Jeffrey Kaplan warns that this fashionable look may come with some health risks, particularly concerning what might be lurking beneath the surface.

Kaplan, a biology professor at American University, shared that the crevice under the fingernail is a hotspot for bacteria. “The longer the nail, the more surface area there is for microorganisms to cling to. Studies have identified 32 different types of bacteria and 28 different fungi residing under fingernails.”

Whether you have long artificial nails, natural nails, gel, acrylics, or simply painted nails, the risk of harboring these microorganisms increases, making it tougher to effectively clean them through regular handwashing. Kaplan noted that one study found MRSA, an antibiotic-resistant bacteria linked to serious infections in hospitalized patients, in half of the fingernail samples tested. Additionally, some of the bacteria found under nails, like staphylococcus, are already present on our skin and can lead to infections.

“You can introduce these fingernail bacteria into your system through habits like scratching, nail-biting, nose-picking, and finger-sucking,” Kaplan warned. The worst-case scenario from these bacteria and fungi is a nail infection, which, while not life-threatening, could result in disfigured fingernails.

This concern for hygiene is why most healthcare professionals are required to keep their nails short to minimize the risk of transmitting infections. A troubling incident was reported where two nurses at an Oklahoma City hospital might have contributed to the deaths of 16 infants between 1997 and 1998, potentially due to bacteria under their long nails. While epidemiologists found a correlation between neonatal deaths and the bacteria, they could not definitively establish it as the cause.

“When surgeons scrub in for an operation and then have their hands tested, there’s always bacteria lurking under the fingernails that you just can’t eliminate,” Kaplan said.

Despite these warnings, the long-nails trend continues to thrive on social media. Kayla Newman, a nail technician, said that in her eight years of service, none of her clients have experienced infections or had “nasty nails.” “Typically, people with long nails know how to handle them and keep them clean,” she said. “If you’re spending over $60 to get your nails done, it just doesn’t make sense not to take care of them.”