Minnesota woman’s 42ft nails make history as longest nails ever

Diana Armstrong of Minnesota, USA, has been honoured with Guinness World Records titles for longest fingernails on a pair of hands (female) and longest fingernails on a pair of hands ever (female).

The grandmother’s 42 ft 10.4 in (1306.58 cm) long fingernails surpass the previous record holder, Ayanna Williams, by 18 ft 9.7 in. Diana’s nails were verified on 13 March 2022 by Guinness World Records adjudicator, Mike Marcotte, who spent a considerable amount of time taking measurements and verifying information alongside health experts.

Diana Armstrong – Longest Fingernails
Guinness World Records 2022
Photo Credit: Kevin Scott Ramos/Guinness World Records

“I’ve always had long nails, but not to this extent,” Diana comments. “Even when I was little, I always had longer fingernails. My mum always grew her nails, so I always had nails like my mum.”

However, the reason behind the fingernail growth is heartbreaking. Back in 1997, her daughter Latisha, then 16-years old, painted Diana’s nails, as she did every weekend.

The next morning, it was discovered that Latisha had passed away in her sleep due to an asthma attack. And Diana hasn’t been able to bear cutting her fingernails since.

“[My kids] never knew why I was growing them. I didn’t tell anybody,” Diana reveals. “I kept it to myself until I finally told [my kids] 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.’”

Diana Armstrong – Longest Fingernails
Guinness World Records 2022
Photo Credit: Kevin Scott Ramos/Guinness World Records

Diana has been turned away from a number of nail salons due to the length of her nails, so she lets her grandchildren paint and file them, which can take up to five hours per nail and 20 bottles of nail polish. 

Understandably, some daily tasks are challenging with her record-breaking nails, including using zips and driving – which she gave up in favour of her nails.

Craig Glenday, Guinness World Records editor-in-chief comments: “I’ve always quoted the longest fingernails as my all-time favourite record category, and I’ve been lucky enough to meet some of the lovely record holders over the years.

“This is a category that rarely changes hands, and it’s even rarer to find someone with such extraordinary nails who has managed to maintain their privacy and escape the intrusive glare of social media. That’s why it was an absolute privilege to be welcomed to Minneapolis and spend a day in the life of Diana and her tight-knit family.

“The story behind her record is as fascinating as it is heartbreaking, and Diana’s determination to honour her daughter’s legacy in her unique way is inspiring. Family means everything to Diana, and she’s lucky to have gathered around her a wonderful support network… which is what you need when each of your fingernails is longer than a ski pole.”

To learn more about Diana’s record and the upcoming GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS 2023 edition, visit www.guinnessworldrecords.com. 

Images courtesy of Guinness World Records.