Finger nails

[Victoria K.]

Just curious on how long you grow your nails and what nail polish you use.My nails are about 3/16" over the top and planning on keeping at 1/4" max.Colors vary with me,i have used violet,pink,blue and now using a nice ruby with sparkles.I wear the color just about 24/7 these days.

[KimberlyS]

I can not keep my nails very long at all as they break very easily. When they do have color on them it is usually some shade of purple.

[Penelope Carol]

I don't grow my nails as there are still a lot of people, especially colleagues at work and family members, who don't know about my gender issues and who I'm not ready to tell. However I love painting my nails although I don't do it very often. My favourite colours are burgundy and pink but I also have some orange-coloured polish which goes nicely with one particular outfit of mine and some that is turquoise in colour which I haven't used yet (but I mean to soon).

[Noeleena]

Hi,

Short nails and no colour I gave that up long ago I do building and steel work don't even bother with my toe,s ,

Thing is I do so much that if I did do my hand nails it would not last longer than two hours , because I,d be into doing things, Its not I did not do years ago I did just im not into being feminine you do welding and grinding sawing and sanding well my hands are not what you call soft still for a female I still do well in other ways, so just that price I pay for working pretty much most days,

Dressed for an evening out no different, sorry just a working female and my friend,s all know what I do and just glad im with them , sorry not that pretty enough to worry about it,

...noeleena...

[Ms. Erin]

Hmm... I want to say I can keep my nails to about 3/16" ?

I always get gel nails with gel polish at the spa and I try to keep them 4 weeks. (skipping one paycheck in between)

Sometimes they wear a little and I touch them up, but if one brakes, then its back to the spa or file it down. I do work with my hands, but I use a pair of gloves, so that helps. Also the gel is stronger and will last longer, but 4 weeks is my max.

[SilverLady(SO)]

Erin -

Constantly using gel nails will actually ruin your real nails; specifically, the chemicals involved in removing the gel nails.

Long-term use of press-on and glue-on nails can also harm your real nails, but they're not nearly as damaging as the gel version.


I would recommend that you grow out your real nails (if possible) and stay away from all of the fake nails.


- SL

[Anne Bonny]

Hum...My nails are not long at the moment....my guy side tends to wind up having one break or tear though he - ha! - I have gotten over biting my nails because Anne...my gal side wants longer nails hahahahaha!!! Seriously! I have found length on my ring and little finger can grow out easily to a quarter inch, but that is hard to do on my thumb index and middle finger which is frustrating for Anne ! But I have gotten there frequently in the past over time. filing, buffing and I prefer just regular nail polish...I love classic red with a clear top coat. I have had my toes done professionally a couple times in a salon and they look fantastic and lasted a long long time! I prefer natural I don't like the artificial things glue on's or wigs, or faking feminine speech or mannerisms or deportment I go for my true authentic self because Anne is part of who I am even though most of the time I am on my male side with no regrets. I am gender fluid.

At the moment I am not biting my nails and am of a mine to allow them to grow out over the tips an eighth of an inch is no problem in any company but a quarter inch is too long for my male side to be out and about. I can go with 3/16ths...

Typically I do not paint my finger nails.. just buff them to a shine...may clear or top coat them but that is rare. Do not like color because it is work to take it off and what's the point of all of that if I have to take it off when I go out in public!?

I did keep my toenails shiny hard and red for over a year last year but that is all gone now though Anne is toying with the idea of getting me to paint them red again and to get me to shave my legs...it is winter.

Oh well such is a gender fluid life.

[Heather W]

I have never really measured my nails and doubt I ever will. I know they are longer than I wore them when I used to try to pretend to be a guy but I did find quickly that if they are too long things you take for granted are a pain. As for color I vary all over the map but if I have something special coming up I try to coordinate my nail color to what I am planning on wearing. For Thanksgiving I wore a dark green dress so my nails are currently a bold green shade. That will probably change Tuesday evening when I have an appointment at the salon. Not sure what color they will be then but I have a red dress for the office Christmas party which has silver trim so for that I am thinking a sparkly red. Thoughts on that?

[Anne Bonny]

I am not and never will be full time out and about...I have been out some but personal choice...color to coordinate with your outfit does sound very appropriate...and I have seen my wife's sitter that I employ tends to have green, or blue, or red or whatever. Sometimes she has nails that change color with the temperature which is unique and sounds fun.

[Carole Hill]

Hi Erin,

I have been wearing gel nails constantly for at least 15 years and have had no problems. I just love them!

My natural nails are no good at all as they crack, split and break. Gel nails have been a god-send.

[Emily]

I have to keep my nails short... I love the look of long nails, but does not work well for guitar playing!

I used to paint my nails black... I was able to get away with it even in guy mode up until a few years ago. Not so much anymore, LOL! I do miss it. Hmmmm... need to figure out a way to be able to do it without it being too noticeable...

[Anne Bonny]

Many Classical guitarists grow their nails longer as they play with their fingers alone...well on there strumming/picking hand...no need for a pick (if you are a folk or country artist, or rock artist) when you use your own nails....but playing the fret board yeah tough with nails wonder how women do that!? But there are a lot of women who have nails that are not beyond their finger tips or just slightly over which might work on the fret side of playing?

[Victoria K.]

There are very few people i hide my nails from like my parents but for most of the time in the outside world show them proudly.Been told by several that i have strong nails since hardly ever break one.Most of my nails are about 3/16" long and planing on getting them to around 1/4" before stopping.Do my nails myself with several different colors tried.

[Shelby]

My wife bought me some press on nails that look great and can easily be removed once we're done playing.

[Davita]

For decades, I have grown my nails as long as they look decent. Now they don't grow as long before they break. I have used a translucent polish for decades as well. I remember once a female coworker wanted to ask me about my nails. Silly me interrupted her thinking she was going to ask about the polish and I simply said I was never a simply clear person. "No no... I was going to ask you why you grow them so long." For that I simply said I have always grown them long. I even mentioned they were pretty helpful for pick up punch cards way back then. She smiled and was satisfied.

Some people can grow nails and some can't. I don't think anyone really cares unless you are extreme; my dad was a manly man and he grew his nails long. Part of it is that sometimes they grow faster than you taking time to trim them -- simple.