Hang nails.When it comes to superlong talons, this woman has the competition nailed. Lee Redmond < Lee Redmond holds the record in the Guinness World Records for longest fingernails on both hands. She lives in Salt Lake City, USA and is considered by many to be the Queen of long nails. , from Salt Lake City, Utah For ships of the United States Navy of the same name, see . Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake, or its initials, S.L.C. , holds the world record for the female with the longest fingernails. At 84 centimeters (33 inches) per nail, hers drag along the ground. What does it take to grow nails like Redmond's? Time. On average, fingernails grow 3 millimeters (0.1 in.) per month. It took 27 years for Redmond's nails to reach their extraordinary length. Redmond also credits a diet chock-full of protein-rich foods. That's because the protein keratin keratin (kĕr`ətĭn), any one of a class of fibrous protein molecules that serve as structural units for various living tissues. The keratins are the major protein components of hair, wool, nails, horn, hoofs, and the quills of feathers. is the major building block of hair and nails. But if you already have a healthy diet, eating more high-protein foods--like meat, fish, and beans--probably won't improve the condition of your nails, says Richard K. Scher, a nail specialist and professor of dermatology at Columbia University in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. . It's more likely that another one of Redmond's beauty tips kept her nails healthy as they grew: She soaked her nails in olive oil. Dry nails can become brittle, making it difficult for them to grow without breaking. "Massaging nails with moisturizers moisturizers hydroscopic agents, applied to the skin and hair, as creams, rinses or shampoos, to increase hydration of the stratum corneum. Examples are propylene glycol, glycerine and lactate. or oil locks in moisture, making brittle nails more flexible," says Scher. Before trying to beat Redmond's record, consider how difficult it would be to complete simple tasks, like getting dressed and opening doors. Scher also warns: One slip could lead to a painful break. Damaging or exposing the soft tissue underneath a nail gives microbes the perfect opening to set up shop and cause an infection. The best practice, says Scher, is to keep nails trimmed so they just reach the tips of your fingers. That way nails can do their job of protecting your digits and helping you pick up small objects. Also, since disease-causing bacteria have more room to hide out under longer nails, make sure soap and water get underneath them when you're scrubbing up, says Scher. At least Redmond doesn't have the bad habit bad habit Unhealthy habit Clinical medicine A patterned behavior regarded as detrimental to physical or mental health, which is often linked to a lack of self-control. Cf Good habit. of biting her nails! |
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