Kitty Wan is one of the few models who makes a living with her hands. Literally. Specializing in hand modeling, this American can earn up to $2,000 a day lending her hands to advertisements, beauty campaigns, and photoshoots for jewelry and skincare products. While her profession demands constant vigilance—flawless skin, impeccable nails, and continuous hydration—Kitty Wan admits she hasn't given up a hobby that stands out in her daily life: volleyball. More specifically, beach volleyball.
The sport that could jeopardize everything
“Everyone tells me I’m a little crazy to keep playing,” she confided to People magazine. Yet Kitty Wan persists because, for the past three years, her passion has outweighed her fear. And while the risks are real—twisted fingers, scratches, sprains, bruises—she has so far never suffered a major injury. A stroke of luck, but also a matter of careful management: “I prefer not to think about it too much, otherwise I’d end up hurting myself,” she said.
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A discipline that requires constant attention.
To minimize risks, Kitty Wan explains that she follows rigorous rituals: no contact sports, no cooking with sharp objects, no colored nail polish. Gels are forbidden, and manicures are always nude. She always keeps a moisturizer in her car and in every room of her home, uses cuticle oil every night, and applies a hand mask before each shoot. "The shots are so close that you can see every detail of the nail matrix," she explains.
Between lucrative vocation and personal pleasure
Kitty Wan's paradox fascinates internet users: how to reconcile an "ultra-delicate" career with such a "risky" sport? In a viral TikTok video, she shares a list of activities forbidden for a hand model… while admitting that she breaks them as soon as she's back on the sand of a volleyball court. "It's contradictory, but that's what I love," she acknowledges.
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While caution remains essential, Kitty Wan is also proof that passion can find its place even in the most restrictive environments. Her message? Discipline, yes, but never at the expense of pleasure.
