Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Ayanna Williams of Houston, Texas, has spent about 30 years growing her record-breaking talons, officially dubbed the longest fingernails on a pair of hands (female) by Guinness World Records.
Looking forward to picking up the pace and moving on to the next chapter of her life, Ayanna made the difficult decision to part with her iconic nails. But she couldn’t simply clip “her babies,” as she lovingly refers to them—they deserve a place in history!
Previously featured in both Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and Guinness World Records publications, the two brands teamed up to immortalize these curious claws, purchasing them for an undisclosed amount.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! accompanied Ayanna to Fort Worth, Texas, where her nails were cut off by Dr. Readinger at Trinity Vista Dermatology.
When Guinness World Records measured Ayanna’s nails back in 2017, they reached a combined total length of 576.4 cm (18 ft 10.9 in). Believe It or Not!, this time they measured 733.55 cm—more than 24 feet of fingernails all together!
After the seamless procedure, Ayanna leapt from her chair and immediately began doing tasks she had been unable to do for decades—texting with ease, quickly hopping into a car, and opening doors without the fear of breaking a beloved extremity… which happens.
Believe It or Not!, in 2014, when Ayanna was promoting Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Reality Shock, she broke a 23-inch-long nail during an interview!
Ayanna insists that she will not grow her nails to record-breaking lengths again; however, she says about six inches sounds right. When reminded that it took her up to 20 hours and two bottles of nail polish to paint her tremendous talons, she said she might consider going shorter.
Ripley’s is no stranger to super-long nails! In 2018, the 909.6 cm (29 ft 10.1 in) nails of Shridhar Chillal, the longest fingernails ever recorded on a single hand, were acquired. Chillal’s nails can be seen on display at both Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Amsterdam and Ripley’s Believe It or Not! New York.
Now, it’s Ayanna’s incredible efforts that can inspire generations to come! Beginning on Friday, April 9, 2021, you can see Ayanna’s nails in person at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Orlando.
Her goal is to encourage the next history-making nail enthusiast to grow their nails to record-setting lengths and to go for a Guinness World Records title.
“Do what you want to do! Let everyone be themselves. If you want to grow your nails long, do it!” adds Ayanna.
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Source: Ripley’s Acquires the World’s Longest Nails—Finally Cut After 30 Years!
