A Vietnamese man didn't cut his nails for 34 years and set a world record (5 photos)

Vietnamese artist Luu Cong Guen grew his fingernails for over three decades due to his magical beliefs. Over 34 years without trimming, his nails reached a total length of almost six meters.





The Vietnamese artist explains that his nails were connected to his religious beliefs, as his father was a shaman. Mr. Guen himself wanted to become a teacher but chose the path of an artist.

"I wanted to become a teacher, so I grew them long to look more regal. But later my father told me to forget about that profession—it was too much trouble and not worth it. So I just kept growing them. If I cut them, I would feel tired and exhausted, both physically and mentally," says the record-breaker.

He added that the very thought of cutting his nails makes him feel tired and even nauseous. His nails break from time to time, and he keeps the broken pieces in his living room closet, although they aren't included in the final measurement.

The nail lengths were measured using a special tape measure, yielding the following results: left hand – 388.85 cm, right – 205.6 cm. The longest nail is on the thumb of the left hand – 127.5 cm.



Growing such long nails is a real challenge, and people with such records have to change their lifestyle. Mr. Guen takes special care to keep his nails dry.

"If it's raining, I have to keep them dry. If they get wet, they'll soften and break. In a crowd, if someone catches them, they'll also break. Every movement has to be careful," the man admits.

He says he even has to be very careful when dressing or sleeping to avoid breaking his nails. Despite this, he demonstrates amazing painting skills, carefully holding a can of paint in one hand and working with a brush in the other.

People gather to watch him paint, admiring his skill. He's often asked how he manages to paint with such nails, although he's never heard any negative comments about them.

Mr. Guen himself rides a moped and dresses carefully, tucking his arms into his sleeves, with the help of his wife, Thi Thuan, who also helps him with his work.





"People always ask my wife why she doesn't make me cut them. But it's my choice. Without her support, I wouldn't be able to take such good care of them," he says, adding that he was "extremely happy" to receive recognition from Guinness World Records.

Guinness World Records representative Craig Glendale concluded that the family's reception before the record-breaking event was a good one. However, there was a funny incident—one of his nails broke.



"It's a great honor to measure his nails. They're very impressive, even though one broke," the organization's representative says wryly.