How long/short do you keep your nails?

[nathansmum]

I have just returned from taking the kids to the movies and walked through the mall and had one of those people who sell specialty hand cream/nail care stuff approach me from a temporary booth in the middle of the mall.

This has happened to me twice over the past few years and both times the person said "oh do you bite your nails?" and then proceeded to do a sales pitch on a special product for that (they never got to the speil because I cut them off and say no I don't bite my nails and move on).

So, is it strange that I have short nails? If a woman has short nails is it seen as something undesirable? I like to keep them only about a millimetre or two long and when they get to about 1/2 centimetre I tend to trim them back again (don't usually bother to file them or do anything else). Although over the years I've dabbled with longer nails, they have never done it for me despite them always growing long and strong really easily only I don't like them so chop them off again.

I just find it strange that it seems to be seen that something is wrong if I don't have long nails and they need fixing lol!

[pastrygirl]

I keep mine very short, too. I like hardly any of the white part showing. I know it's time to trim when I start to feel corners on my nails. My nails grow strong, too, but I don't like the feel or look of long nails on me.

[MaxMommy]

I keep mine short, easier to keep clean that way. They also don't get in the way when you are doing anything.
I get very bothered when I see people who work with the public wearing long (especially false) painted nails. I can't stop thinking what kind of dirt is under them, creeps me out.
To me, short, unpolished nails that are well manicured look way better than long, jmho.
How annoying for you to be judged like that, for being practical.

[GriffsKat]

Oh, don't you love it when they are so long and they have to poke at buttons with the end of them? They can't even use the pad of their fingers, they are so long.

I tend to cut mine when they get to be so long they turn into weapons. I have a 14mo old and I don't want to hurt him. I like some white showing, I feel feminine that way, but much long than that and I find I have to clean moisturizer out if it. I don't like that.

[leaves]

I always keep mine very short. I can't stand long nails, I feel like they are dirty (on me! not other people...) I don't think it's undesirable, I think having nails is more a hassle. When I do go longer between clipping my nails, I feel like I'm going to poke my baby's eyes out! To me, it's much cleaner, more convenient, and nicer looking to have short nails, because I don't have the time or money to get manicures to keep them looking pretty.

[mk12]

Originally Posted by MaxMommy

I keep mine short, easier to keep clean that way. They also don't get in the way when you are doing anything.
I get very bothered when I see people who work with the public wearing long (especially false) painted nails. I can't stop thinking what kind of dirt is under them, creeps me out.
To me, short, unpolished nails that are well manicured look way better than long, jmho.
How annoying for you to be judged like that, for being practical.

Same here. I don't even have any white showing on mine because of my profession... but I think I would still keep them short even if I wasn't working. I think longer nails are actually pretty gross when you consider what gets underneath them. I notice if I have even a little bit of white showing and I handle raw meat or chicken, it seems to get trapped underneath my nails and a regular hand washing doesn't remove it all.

Originally Posted by GriffsKat

Oh, don't you love it when they are so long and they have to poke at buttons with the end of them? They can't even use the pad of their fingers, they are so long.

Does anyone else notice a disproportionate percentage of cashiers that have ridiculously long fingernails? Thank goodness most items are just scanned.

[sunnysandiegan]

My nails grow super fast and strong. I cut them off every two weeks. I like a little white showing, but otherwise I am not really "into" long nails.

[noobmom]

I tend to grow them long and then cut them short (all the white off). I used to play the piano, so I kept them short all the time, but I get lazy with cutting them now. For practical purposes, I prefer short.

[ParisApril]

I keep my nails short too. When my nails are long they get so dirty underneath it's gross. I cut them when they get1/2 cm long down to about 2mm (like you OP) Any longer than that and I end up cutting into them when cooking or grating them with the grater!

[marimara]

I keep mine realllly short. When I was young I used to bite my nails and cuticles (I still pick the cuticles). Then I got over it and starting wearing them long, because I have really strong and pretty nails when I let them grow. But I was a massage therapist for years and had to keep them short, after I retired from MT I tried growing them again and I just.could.not.do.it. It felt SOOOO weird to have long nails after having such sensitive finger tips. I need to cut mine today! I can feel the edge of the nail over my finger..

[ShadowMoon]

I keep mine very short. I have soft nails and have always been a nail biter. I also work with my hands everyday and can't stand having long nails. They would just break and get in the way.