MadameNoire Featured Video

Corbis

Corbis

Would you date a man who looked like Michael B. Jordan but had the nails of an individual who does hard (and I mean hard) labor with his hands?

According to women all up and through the Internet, they’ve tried it, and it’s disgusting. Like this woman who contacted Popsugar, seeking advice on how to deal with a man with a clean body but dirt-digger nails:

“How do I get my boyfriend to cut and clean his nails? They are always long and dirty. The rest of his body is clean and I don’t get why he won’t keep his fingernails clean. I have done my best to block it out, and when I can’t take it anymore, I offer to give him a manicure. He either gets offended or says I am being controlling. Once in a while (after I have begged and pleaded), he cleans them, but it doesn’t last very long. I really really care about him, but dirty nails are a HUGE pet peeve for me. Any suggestions?”

Or the woman who wasn’t sure if she should engage in sexual activity with her boyfriend:

“My boyfriend is a mechanical engineer and is always working with greasy engine parts etc. so his fingernails are always grubby. If he fingers me is that safe?”

Or the woman in a wedding thread who was worried about her fiancé not having clean nails on their wedding day:

“I deal with it on a daily basis. My future hubby works for BMW and has horrible hands also. I hate for him to get into bed dirty… and I know hes clean after a shower but his hands are awful.”

And we felt sorry for a woman in the U.K. who was trying to find a nice way to tell the new guy she’s dating that his nails — toenails included — are grossing her out and keeping her from sleeping with him:

“I AM seeing a really nice guy. He’s funny, kind, generous and good looking. But I am putting off having sex with him although I really would like us to move our relationship on. But his fingernails are always filthy and he has ingrained dirt in his hands and toenails. He doesn’t smell or anything but his hands and feet put me off. He’s a mechanic so I know it’s not really his fault. But do I tell him the truth?”

Sounds petty, I know. Back in the day, everyone wanted a man who worked with his hands. Who could build homes and fix things and, basically, be a Black version of the guy on the front of Brawny paper towels. But these days? Not so much. Nowadays, we want a clean-cut man with a corner office, a shiny pair of wingtips and who can, at the most, put together an Ikea bookcase. But not even that type of man will necessarily have the nails of a hand model. Still, trying to engage in sexual relations and just have a healthy, comfortable relationship with an individual with bad nail habits/hygiene clearly isn’t a trivial, petty issue after all, because there are countless columns and questions about such concerns online.

So with that being said, how would you deal with it?

Say a man approached you while out and about. Not only is he handsome, but he has a nice body, and even better, good manners. However, when he reaches his hand out to introduce himself, he has the type of fingernails where the grime underneath is so deep and dark, you can see it through the white tips. Could you overlook it? Could you enter into a relationship with him and block it out? Could you let him rub on you (or in you) with those hands?

*shudders*

I think nails are not that big of a deal, but hygiene, in general, is very important. Therefore, if his nails are dirty, long, chipped, jagged, covered in hang nails, or in my past case, in a nervous habit, he’s chewed the skin off around his nails (it was disgusting), you have to just make it plain and clear: “Babe, your nails are turning me off!”

Of course, you don’t need to yell that or be super dramatic about it like he has a third eyeball in the middle of his forehead, but it’s better to be honest about it than to be quiet and let something so small bother you to the point that it sabotages a good thing…

But as always, that’s just my opinion. What say you? Are dirty nails a petty problem or a definite no-no? How would you handle it?

Comment Disclaimer: Comments that contain profane or derogatory language, video links or exceed 200 words will require approval by a moderator before appearing in the comment section. XOXO-MN