Vietnamese painter Liu Cong Huyen has created an incredible feat. He has grown his fingernails for 34 years, with a total length of 594.45 centimeters (19 feet 6 inches). In doing so, he has set a world record for the longest fingernails among living men.

Huyen's left fingernails are 388.85 centimeters long and his right fingernails are 205.6 centimeters long. The longest of these is on his left thumb, which is 127.5 centimeters (4 feet 2 inches) long. Surprisingly, his fingernails are longer than the average height of an adult giraffe.

Earlier this year, Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records, personally visited Huyen's home to measure his nails and officially recognized him.

Huyen, 67, is a painter by profession. He earns his living by painting on the walls of local houses and also paints his nails in various colors. Taking care of long nails is not easy. Even the slightest moisture can soften them and break them, so they must always be kept dry. He has to be very careful when getting dressed, sleeping, or doing daily activities.

Huen says, “Just thinking about cutting my nails is physically and mentally exhausting. Without my wife, I would not be able to keep these nails in order. She is always by my side.”

In the late 1980s, Huen decided not to cut his nails because he wanted to become a shaman like his father. Although he later gave up his desire to become a shaman, he did not give up the habit of growing his nails.

The previous holder of the longest nails was Melvin Feisel Bute of the United States. The length of his nails on both hands was 9.85 meters (32 feet 3.8 inches). He died a few months after setting the record in 2009.

Through 34 years of perseverance, patience, and hard work, Huynh has proven that an artist can maintain creativity and a normal life even with extraordinary nails.