Long Nails …

So the “long” in “long nails” has taken on a completely different meaning since I was a teenager / in my 20s. “Long nails” have stopped meaning something like what you would see on the fingers of Jersey Shore cast members to these witchy-like monstrosities that seem to be at least 1.5″-2″ long (no offense if this refers to you … but if it DOES, I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!!!). I believe Kylie Jenner has popularized this … I could be wrong … but if that is true, it’s a total joke because I HIGHLY doubt she does much physically for herself (that figure? Guess what? It’s as unnatural as the lips. Yinz can speculate all you want but look at her sister – her FULL-BLOODED sister – I can understand sisters can have drastically different figures but not to this extreme); how do you even take a shower without scratching yourself? How do you wash your hair? I guess if you’re like the chick on that “Curology” ad (BADAD!), you avoid using your fingers by pumping the face product right onto your face (*CLEANLINESS ALERT!* I DON’T KNOW WHO OKAYED THIS AT CUROLOGY – I HOPE I’M SPELLING THAT CORRECTLY – BUT IT IS SO SO SO NOT GOOD TO PUMP A PUMP PRODUCT RIGHT ONTO YOUR FACE LIKE THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH ANYTHING THAT COULD SPREAD … ACNE INCLUDED!). At any rate, these LEGIT long nails are not only not terribly functional … and not terribly attractive, sorry! … but every time I see them I think of how DIRTY they must be and how DIRTY the fingers of the person wearing them must be! There is absolutely NO WAY you can get your hands clean and your NAILS and UNDERNAILS clean when they are that long – you just can’t. And that is really the issue that gets me the most – not only now that it is cold and flu season (and I am just on the “winning” side of a flu after a week and treatment AND vaccination), but with all of these really scary viruses floating around and just waiting for us to give them the opportunity to explode (we have already done so with the current Ebola outbreak in the DRC – if you haven’t heard, it’s likely because they’re not telling you! Bloody look it up!) … and honestly I think every doctor on the face of the earth, good or bad, will tell you that the first step to preventing contagious illness like URIs and LRIs &c. is to WASH YOUR HANDS THOROUGHLY! I disagree with the “guidelines” laid out by one of the major “health” groups (the CDC, NHS, &c.) in which they suggested turning the water off while washing hands and then turning it back on and off to rinse … like unless you were scrubbing the faucet during that time, you are picking up the old pathogens again! – but basically, you need to rinse your hands, wash them thoroughly with water and soap (including your nails and most importantly UNDER YOUR NAILS) for the duration of singing “Happy Birthday” 2x. It’s fun if you’re goofy like I am. I sing it in different languages! At any rate, I just do not see how these nails can be good for the wearer’s health or the health of those around him/her – what if you cough onto / into those hands? Howya gonna clean that well?? And hand sanitizer is just a temporary solution. I caught C. Diff because the nurse treating me in the hospital (long ago) touched a contagious patient and then DIDN’T WASH HER HANDS, using hand sanitizer instead! BE CAREFUL!

So that is my PSA / rant of this morning! I guess the Superbowl is tonight (I don’t really pay much attention to these things but trust me, I KNOW from the grocery store! Which, by the way, I have been wearing a mask ANYWHERE there is a public space JUST ON THE RARE CHANCE I GET SOMEONE ELSE SICK – and I have been wearing my glasses as well so I do not accidentally rub my eyes!) I would really love to hear other opinions about these “long nails” from the “common folk” who don’t pay people to do everything for them.. Heh. But seriously – I would just love to know why you do it (if it’s following a trend because honestly it’s aesthetically unpleasing!) and how you combat the issues mentioned above. Thanks much for taking the time to read this and I hope you are all having a happy and healthy day / evening wherever you are in the world!

❤ Always, Beth