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Believe it or not, there have been many people who have vowed to have the longest nails in the world, with the title changing hands (or claws) many times over the years.
The motivations all differed for each man or woman but one thing they once had in common was that their talons reached jaw-dropping lengths.
Below, we feature the past and present record holders going all the way back to 1980.
READ MORE: Woman with world's longest nails swerves salon for 22 years – and struggles in loo
Diana Armstrong
And who better to start with than Diana Armstrong, who currently trumps everyone by having the longest fingernails on a pair of female hands ever.
Each set measures a supreme 1,306.58cm (42ft 10.4in) and this year she became a Guinness World Record holder.
Despite being thrilled with the award, the story behind her achievement is heartbreaking. She stopped cutting her nails in 1997 when her 16-year-old daughter tragically died.
Latisha used to manicure Diana’s hands every weekend before her fatal asthma attack.
Diana then declared never to cut them and she stuck to her promise having last visited a salon 22 years ago.
Opening up on the challenges, she 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 any more.
“And in public restrooms, I need to use the biggest stall – my nails are usually longer than the regular-sized stalls.”
Ayanna Williams
Last year Ayanna Williams cut off her famous fingernails after growing them for 28 years.
The Texas gran was a Guinness World Records winner and before getting them chopped, she said: “My nails are 50% of who I am.”
They had reached 733.5cm (24ft 0.7in) before she said a “bitter-sweet goodbye” to them.
The talons eventually had to go because she struggled to drive, button up her jeans or inject insulin for her diabetes.
She said: "I've decided to sell them as I split from my husband six years ago and it's hard with no one around me to help me anymore. I have diabetes now and it's hard to give myself injections."
Strangers often asked her how she used the toilet, and she added: "Usually I just tell them like if you go to the restroom in public you don't sit on the toilets. That's the way I do at home because my nails are so long."
Despite now living a more practical life, the gran has not ruled out growing them again, so Diana Armstrong had better hold on tight.
Chris Walton
Las Vegas club singer Chris Walton started her nail odyssey in 1990 and only got them trimmed in 2016.
They grew to be 731.4cm (23ft 11in) and the singer, who calls herself The Dutchess, said: "I never made a conscious decision to grow the nails, but with all my children and the music commitments I guess it was easier to let the nails grow.
“Then one day I look down and they're like 9 inches long!"
And after getting her claws on the Guinness World Records title, she added: "To be recognised for my record-breaking fingernails is really special. It's important that we celebrate differences.
“To be different is a blessing".
Melvin Boothe
Melvin Boothe sadly passed away in 2009 but he deserves a special mention because seven months before he died his nails were longer than a London double-decker bus.
They measured an almighty 985cm (32ft 3in) and the American was recognised in the Guinness World Records on May 30, 2009.
He died later that year but only Diana Armstrong has grown longer fingernails than him in the 21st century.
Lee Redmond
Lee Redmond is also worthy of praise because she grew her talons from 1979 all the way up until early 2009.
She bathed them regularly in olive oil and they were a huge 865cm (28ft 4in).
Unfortunately, they were snapped from her hands during a freak car crash.
Her right thumb alone was 90cm (2ft 11in) and speaking of her old record, the great-grandmother, from Utah, said: "It was just a challenge to myself to see how far they would go before they started twisting out of shape.”
"I kept setting dates and dates that I was going to cut them and I just couldn't do it. It's strange how they become part of you.
"I think my fingernails defined me to a lot of people, I was known as the fingernail lady but to me, I would have to explain to them there really is more to me."
Shridhar Chillal
Shridhar Chillal stands out from the rest because he rather sensibly only chose to grow his fingernails on his left hand.
He was officially recognised in the Guinness World Records in 1980 when they reached 909.6cm (29ft 10in).
But he eventually cut them off in 2018 with the help of a power tool and they are now on display at Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum in New York.
He said: “When I decided to cut my nails, it was difficult for me to make this decision.
"But when I realised that after cutting my nails, my nails will be at Ripley's Believe It or Not! and they're going to maintain it very nicely and for a lifetime, then I felt like I was doing the right decision and that's why I decided to cut my nails."
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