Woman With the Longest Nails In The World Cut Them After 30 Years

The woman with the world's longest fingernails on a pair of hands (female) has officially cut them after almost 30 years. The Houston-based woman had been a Guinness World Record holder since 2017.

Ayanna Williams, who calls herself a nail artist, cut her record-breaking fingernails after nearly three decades. It's the first time she parted with her nails since the early 90s, citing the whole event as an "emotional, bittersweet goodbye."

When Williams was awarded the Guinness World Record in 2017, her nails were approximately 20 inches long. The nail growing on her thumb also set a record for being 26 inches in length.

Good Riddance

The Texan woman finally waved goodbye to her nails, having grown them to a record-breaking length for 30 years. The entire thing was captured in a sentimental video shared by Guinness World Records' YouTube and Instagram accounts.

"I've been growing my nails for a few decades now. I'm so, so ready for a new life. I know I'm going to miss them, but it's just about that time – it's time for them to go."

said Ayanna Williams.

The Emotional Nail Cutting Ceremony

After taking final length measurements, Williams' nails were cut using a unique tool. Dr. Allison Readinger of Trinity Vista Dermatology in Texas employed an electric rotary tool to cut the Houston woman's record-breaking nails.

Williams reportedly crashed her record for the longest fingernails on a pair of hands (female) with new length measurements of 24 ft 0.7 in (733.55 cm). The nail artist decided to part ways with her grandest manicure last weekend.

The electric rotary tool was used because Williams' nails were extremely long and complicated to cut. However, the procedure went smoothly, and she experienced hardly any pain or discomfort during the removal process.

Why Did Ayanna Cut Her Nails?

Ayanna looked after nails for over 28 years, and they were a defining element of her personality. Even as a young girl, she was obsessed with nails and nail art designs. Hence, doing away with her nails was a difficult decision for her.

However, having extremely long nails limited her in performing daily activities and house chores like doing the laundry or changing bed sheets. Her decision to cut her long nails has attracted mixed reactions from the public.

"With my movements I have to be very, very careful. So usually in my mind I'm already preparing for the next step that I have to do to make sure that I don't hurt myself with my nails - or break them. I'm excited about cutting my nails because I'm looking forward to new beginnings."

-shared Williams.

Record-Breaking Nails

Williams' magnificent nails will be on display in Ripley's Believe It or Not! Orlando museum. The Texan record holder added that she has plans to grow her nails in the future, but not to the exact measurements.

While Williams' final measurements before the cutting procedure crashed her previous record, she lost her current record holder position. Now the record for the longest fingernails on a pair of hands (female) rests with Lee Redmond (U.S.), who started growing her nails in 1979, with a length of 28 ft 4.5 in (8.65 m).