Meet Larue Drummond - The Woman With The 14-Inch Long Nails

Larue Drummond, 54-year-old mother of four, used to be a chronic nail biter as a child, biting her nails to her cuticles until they bled. But according to Larue all that changed when she met a woman at the super market with long nails, who told her, 'when you look after your nails, they will look after you.'

She stopped biting her nails and began to grow them long. Eight years ago, the big fan of nail art decided to stop cutting her nails entirely and has spent not less than $10,000 since then to maintain them.

Some people are very curious about how Ms Drummond manages everyday tasks with her 14-inch talon and she insists she cooks and does other everyday tasks easily. She said:

‘People stop me wherever I go and ask about my nails. I'm always happy to talk about them.
‘The most frequently asked question is how do I go to the bathroom. I tell them, “the same way as you do. If you know of another way, let me know.”’

But not everyone is comfortable with her unique look. Ms Drummond says;

‘I've seen people snigger at my nails. Once a woman wouldn't even sit next to me as if I had a disease or something. It really hurt my feelings. But it's who I am so I am not ashamed. If I broke a nail that couldn't be fixed I’d feel bereaved. My nails are my babies.’

Ms Drummond, who has eight grandchildren, insists that her long talons don’t impact on her part-time job as a child-minder, insiting;

‘The children aren’t scared by my nails – they’re fascinated. I know their parents because they’re all family friends but I’m always extra careful not to scratch them.’

Determined not to let anything set her back, Ms Drummond, from New Jersey, US, is keen to grow her nails even longer without allowing them to stop her normal life.

‘I just have to learn new ways to do things. For example when I’m using my phone I push the buttons with my knuckles. But there is not a lot I can't do myself. My daughters sometimes help me with tying my shoelaces or fastening jewellery.

Yes, her children, Terrance, 40, Kahlilah, 34, Tashana, 32, and Venitta, 28, fully support their mum in her unique style. Venitta says;

‘I tried to grow my nails out once but once I realised the time you have to put in I got bored. I didn't have the patience to sit in the salon for hours. My mum has such dedication. Mum definitely has a nail obsession - now her babies are grown, those are her babies.’

She visits long nail specialist Maria Ortiz who creates colourful and eye-catching designs for women with long nails. Larue's nails are not all the same however, she says;

‘There has been the odd breakage over the years, so they’re not all the same length, but that gives them more character. I named the longest one on my index finger Miss Attitude because she’s the only one that twists.

‘In the future I would like to get to 21 inches and then see if I can go longer.’

Up until eight years ago Ms Drummond, kept her nails at a 'sensible' three inches, but then decided to grow them as long as possible. She said:

‘I’d always wanted really long nails and felt that the time was right.’

Ms Drummond has her routine nailed now, spending up to 12 hours at the nail salon getting her extreme talons coated in rhinestones and varnish costing £100 each time.

Via Daily Mail