Why Do Men Have Long Nails

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Men with long nails are fairly common. Having at least one long fingernail is thought to be a sign of wealth and refinement in men.

In this article, we’ll talk about the many reasons why some people have nails that are longer than the rest of theirs.

This article will open your eyes once you’ve finished reading it.

For Superiority

When their nails are cut short, guys who prefer to keep long nails typically claim that it makes them feel inferior. They constantly have a sense that something is missing from their body. In order to feel more at ease, they continue to have long nails.

For Combat/Defense

Based on the ancient Chinese, there was a particular fighting style called the “tiger style”. Long nails are a requirement for a fighter to be proficient in the tiger style. They often use their long nails, which resemble claws, to attack their foe. Because of this, some of the men in our modern society have long nails.

Read More: Will Vaseline Soften Toenails

For Scooping Drug

Their long nails are thought to function as a natural scooping device for drugs. It aids them in effectively snorting the drug, much like snorting cocaine. Do not mistake any guy with long nails for a drug addict because these are specifically for addicts.

To Look More Stylish

Note that this only applies to men who regularly trim the edges of their long nails so that they are not sharp. Always well-maintained, they do. Because they prefer to use their right hand for formal tasks, like shaking hands with the elderly, these guys typically only grow long nails on their left fingers. Most women find these kinds of men attractive.

For Domestic Work

The use of their long nails as household tools, such as when playing the guitar, is common. Some men require long nails in order to play a flawless guitar beat. Some men even clean their ears of dirt using their long.

Tips for Growing Out Your Nails

Wait 1-2 Months

The right amount of time, in my opinion—perhaps even two months—to let your picking hand’s nails grow out is one month. To have the right length, this ought to be sufficient.

Play around with what feels best to you. Try out different techniques to amp up the volume and attack of your music without being destructive or overly annoying.

File the Nails on Your Picking Hand

It’s best to slightly file down your nails with a file in order to increase their adaptability and usefulness.

The picking hand should pay more attention to this.

One advantage of having a longer nail on your picking hand is that it gives you an additional surface to strike the string from, and as you release your finger from the fret, the nail rolls off of it smoothly.

It is best to file your nail so that one side has a smooth slope.

The string is simply guided as it moves away by the extra point of pressure, which also gently rubs against the string. Instead of filing the nails down from the side, try filing them down from underneath at a 90-degree angle. Additionally, when filing the nail, use the curve of your fingertips as a reference point for the slope and direction.

Fretting Hand Nails

Your fretting hand nails should be kept reasonably short, but only to the point where the white portion of the nail is just barely visible.

I find that this is the most comfortable thing to do because otherwise, they feel too sensitive. The fretting hand nails are ultimately the least significant, and the main objective should be to eliminate any potential obstructions and jagged edges.

You Could Use Acrylic (Fake) Nails

The addition of fake nails to one of a guitarist’s hands is not uncommon. Thus, some players might actually visit a salon to get fake nails, just like many women do.

It’s not as common as just growing them out, but it’s something to think about because it will not only save you a ton of time, but they’ll probably also look a little better.

Mistakes to Avoid While Growing Out Your Nails

Avoid Long Nails on the Fretting Hand.

Long nails on the fretting hand can be problematic, and this is easy to understand.

It takes a lot of trial and error when you’re first learning how to fret a guitar note because it’s already a fairly delicate technique.

Long nails on the hand you use to fret the note will actually make it harder to fret the note properly because they will physically prevent the finger from pressing firmly onto the fretboard.

Pressing a ruler up against your finger and making sure that the ruler doesn’t even touch the nail when doing so will give you the most accurate measurement of the length of your fretting hand nail.

To put it another way, the nails on the hand that is fretting should be as short as they can be to ensure that they don’t obstruct anything. There should only be a tiny amount of white visible, according to another rule of thumb.

Don’t Cut Them Too Short

Your fretting hand nails should be slightly shorter than one millimeter in length.

Make sure not to trim them too short, though, as this could expose the more delicate area of the nail bed, causing pain whenever you fret the note.

Understand That Fingernails Aren’t Picks

Not to be confused with a pick, a long fingernail. It’s just a much harder extension of the finger which increases the attack and volume of each note.

The only thing a longer nail really does is cause it to scrape against the string a little bit more.

It’s best to avoid using it as a pick since you won’t be using it that way.

Long Nails Aren’t Ideal for Tapping-Style Guitarists

When I refer to guitarists who play in the tapping style, I mean that they use their right and left hands as a specialized technique to press on the frets rather than picking any strings with their picking hand.

This has a self-evident cause. It will be more difficult to fret the notes without interference from the picking hand’s nails if you have long, sharp nails on both hands.

Consider this, or at the very least be aware that you might need to alter your tapping style to make this work.

To properly fret the note with the end of your finger, you might find it best to align your fingers at a more parallel angle.

Having said that, there are individuals who, like John Butler, tap even though they have long nails on both hands.

Not Cleaning Them

Make sure to keep them clean, in actuality, if you choose to go this route.

Basically, you wash dishes in the sink and use one of the gadgets that many nail clippers include, which is a small piece of steel with a hook on it, to keep your nails clean.

It is made to dig deep beneath the nail and thoroughly clean it.

You don’t want to be frightening people with your long, unkempt nails, but you might be.

FAQs

What Do Long Fingernails Symbolize?

Long nails were a sign of wealth for men and women in the upper classes, particularly the literati: They showed that their owners did not have to perform manual labor.