Kevin Scott Ramos/Guinness World RecordsGetting into the Guinness World Records Book is a tall order. Or for one woman, a long one.
Anyanna Williams has won the iconic title for the ‘Longest Fingernails on a Pair of Hands (Female)’. Catchy. But with great nail length comes great responsibility, and great difficulty making a cup of tea, apparently.
Ayanna told the folks at Guinness World Records how she manages her abnormally long nails:
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It all began 23 years ago, when a friends of Ayanna’s noticed she’d been neglecting the nail clippers.
Pointing out Ayanna’s then three-inch nails, the companion encouraged the Texan native to continue on her one-woman mission to the longest nails in the world.
Fast forward over two decades, and Ayanna, who is now 60, has achieved her life goals but she added: ‘I really don’t know why.’
Kevin Scott Ramos/Guinness World RecordsShe’s more qualified than most for the upkeep required for such mammoth finger appendages which now reach an incredible total measurement of 576.4 cm (18 ft, 10.9 in).
As an avid nail artist, Ayanna Williams has set up a strict regime to take care of her nails.
Ayanna stays away from washing the dishes and uses anti-bacterial soap and a nail brush to clean them daily, followed by regular applications of nail hardener and a thin layer of acrylic, which can take up to one week to paint.
Kevin Scott Ramos/Guinness World RecordsShe doesn’t come across too much difficulty doing everyday tasks, except for pulling up her trousers. No one has asked how she manages on the toilet, but I’m not sure anyone really wants the answer to that musing.
Ayanna, a grandmother of two, joked:
It just takes me longer to do anything than it would take a normal human being. I’m used to doing household chores but a lot of it I don’t do; I’ve paid my dues so [my gr[my grandchildren] for me and that’s right up my alley.
Kevin Scott Ramos/Guinness World RecordsIf all I have to do to avoid the washing up is grow abnormally long nails over a twenty-year period, sign me up.
Somebody pass the anti-nail biting polish immediately.
GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS 2018 is out now.
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.