Indian woman turns 11 years of growing her hair into a Guinness World Record for longest hair with 9ft-long locks (see photos)

• Renu Dhariyal has not cut her hair since 2015.

• Her hair measures 8ft 10in, or 271.50cm.

• She surpassed Ukraine’s Aliia Nasyrova as record holder.

• Dhariyal spends hours washing and detangling her hair.

An Indian woman has turned more than a decade of refusing to cut her hair into a Guinness World Record after growing her locks to an astonishing 8ft 10in.

Renu Dhariyal, a content creator and YouTuber from Haldwani in Uttarakhand, India, now holds the Guinness World Records title for the longest hair on a living person (female).

Her hair measured 271.50 centimetres (8ft 10in) when it was officially measured in Haldwani on April 15, 2026, according to Guinness World Records.

Dhariyal began growing her hair in 2015 and says she has not cut it since then, meaning she has spent about 11 years maintaining and growing the extraordinary locks.

“I have been growing my hair continuously since 2015,” Dhariyal told Guinness World Records.

“In Indian culture, long hair is considered a symbol of extreme beauty and tradition, which is what inspired me to grow it so long,” she added.

Her record-breaking length surpassed the previous record held by Ukraine’s Aliia Nasyrova, whose hair measured 257.33 centimetres (8ft 5.3in).

Dhariyal’s hair is now only slightly shorter than the height of Robert Wadlow, recognised by Guinness as the tallest person ever recorded, who measured 272 centimetres (8ft 11.1in).

But maintaining hair that stretches almost nine feet is far from easy. Dhariyal said she spends hours washing and detangling her hair and has developed a routine centred around natural products rather than chemical treatments.

“It takes a lot of patience to maintain long hair. I spend hours washing and detangling my hair,” she said.

“My secret is completely natural. I stay away from chemical products and also share the secrets of chemical-free homemade hair oils and homemade shampoos I make on my YouTube channel.”

RELATED: Nigerian dancer Bendancer attempts 168-hour Guinness record, keeps moving for 7 days without giving up

Images released by Guinness show the sheer scale of her hair, with the thick, dark locks trailing across the floor, spilling over furniture and surrounding her when she sits down.

When she needs to keep it manageable, Dhariyal ties it into an elaborate plait. Her unusual appearance has also made her a source of attention both online and whenever she goes out.

“With such long hair, whenever I step out or come on social media, people are surprised and I get a lot of appreciation and attention,” she said.

Beyond setting the record, Dhariyal hopes her achievement will draw attention to her community and encourage others to embrace their natural beauty and cultural traditions.

“I want to give a message to the world that with determination, consistency and connecting with your natural beauty and culture, you can achieve any big milestone,” she said.

Guinness World Records officially lists Dhariyal as the current record holder, with the measurement of 271.50 centimetres recorded in Haldwani on April 15, 2026.