A woman who broke the Guinness World Record for the longest fingernails on a pair of hands ever (female) has shared how she goes about daily tasks with a combined nail length of 1,306.58 cm (42 ft 10.4 in), the approximate length of a school bus. Diana Armstrong has been growing her nails for 25 years, and says she hasn't been to a salon for 22 years.
Diana, who last cut her nails in 1997, vowed never to cut her nails again after her 16-year-old Latisha tragically passed away in her sleep from an asthma attack. Her daughter was the last person to do her nails for her. Although her other children tried to persuade her to get them manicured, once they understood the significance, they left her to it.
Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Sign up for a Mirror newsletter here.
Speaking about how she fares with such long talons, Diana, of Minnesota, US, said: "Zipping up my pants or jacket. I can pop open a can of soda but I need a knife. I drove a car but had to stick my hand out the window, so I don’t drive anymore.
"And in public restrooms, I need to use the biggest stall – my nails are usually longer than the regular-sized stalls.”
She added: "Each nail takes about 10 hours to file and polish. To file them, I need to use a Dremel woodwork tool. I get them done every four to five years, and get through between 15 and 20 bottles of polish. I painted them last week and it took four days.
“If I have to pick up money off the floor, I can pick up bills. But if I drop change on the floor, that will just stay down there.”
After she was officially acknowledged by the Guinness World Records team earlier this year, Diana initially thought it was some sort of joke, but is now proud of her accolade, and believes Latisha would be too.
Do you have a record-breaking story to share? Email us at julia.banim@reachplc.com
