Baking soda creates an alkaline environment and, over the course of a few soaks, may leave your nails much clearer. Treatment of yellow nails will depend on the cause. American Cancer Society. Scrub your nails using hydrogen peroxide mixed with baking soda for 2-3 minutes to quickly lighten them. You only want to remove the very top, stained layer of your nail. Tea Tree Oil 7. ", it makes my fingers really sore. Dry your nails and apply moisturizing lotion and cuticle oil. Lambert, E. M., Dziura, J., Kauls, L., Mercurio, M., & Antaya, R. J. Obviously all this did was make it worse. In . If your nails are discolored because of a bacterial infection or fungus, tea tree oil is any easy treatment you can try. When a fungal infection, like athlete's foot3 occurs in the nail, it leads to a thickening of the nail plate and accumulation of debris beneath it, both of which can lead to a yellow hue, Maiman says. Always wear fresh socks, and expose your feet to fresh air frequently to avoid toenail infections like athletes foot. These include: Melanonychia is a condition that results in discoloration of the nails. Obviously, this would call for medical intervention and dietary changeslike eating a diet lower in carbohydrates and higher in healthy fats, vegetables, and proteinswould likely be necessary, as well. Another solution is potato. For more tips, including how to use tea tree oil to get rid of yellow nails, read on! We use cookies to make wikiHow great. "It is important to start treatment early while the area of nail involvement is still small," says Kosinski. But it's really bad at the moment so I thought I would Google it to see if there was anything else I can do & this wonderful piece came up! Once all nail polish is removed, you can fully see the stained areas of your nails! It can be caused by fungal, bacterial, or viral infections, inflammatory disorders, tumors, systemic diseases like endocrine disorders and AIDS, trauma, and nutritional deficiencies. If you wear dark nail polish and your nails are stained, you may need to switch to a lighter color and wear a base coat. Verywell Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Having whitening properties, hydrogen peroxide can eliminate yellow stained fingernails. Although: "Some articles claim that deficiencies of vitamin B12 and zinc can cause yellow nails, but it's not common," says Maiman. For more tips, including how to use tea tree oil to get rid of yellow nails, read on! "When we're low in protein, calcium, or other vitamins, that can sometimes show up on your fingernails." Yellow nail syndrome is a rare disorder in which the cause is unknown. She received her bachelor's in Magazine Journalism from Temple University and you can find her work at top publications like InStyle, PopSugar, StyleCaster, Business Insider, PureWow and OprahMag. If your nails are yellow from melanonychia, treatment may involve stopping medication or treating the underlying disease or trauma. If yellow nail syndrome is the cause, treatment may include antibiotics, vitamin E supplements, and corticosteroids. Try wearing some vinyl or leather gloves to protect your fingers even more. Use a clean cotton ball and more nail polish remover as needed. LetsGetChecked Review 2023: What Do These Tests Show. Develop the tech skills you need for work and life. She received her bachelor's in Magazine Journalism from Temple University and you can find her work at top publications like InStyle, PopSugar, StyleCaster, Business Insider, PureWow and OprahMag. Mia Rubie is a Nail Artist and the Owner of Sparkle San Francisco, a nail studio based in San Francisco, California. If your yellow nails are accompanied by other body-wide symptoms (respiratory or circulatory symptoms), it is essential to get that checked out, as it could signal yellow nail syndrome. Another way to get rid of smokers lines is to use laser skin resurfacing. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. You can also use aspirin to remove nicotine stains. A good clarifying shampoo is perfect for this purpose and in many cases it will be all you need to get the yellowing removed. Your nails can tell you loads about your health, so you might want to head over to your doctor for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan. For this, you need the standard brown-bottle stuff that you can find on Amazon. Not only is it a cosmetic problem, but researchers have noted an association between tobacco-stained skin and nails and smoking-related diseases. Youre a nail expert. After attempting to treat yellow nails at home, your condition should begin to improve. You may want to request ciclopirox (Penlac Nail Lacquer) as an alternative prescription treatment. Antifungal activity of nanocapsule suspensions containing tea tree oil on the growth of Trichophyton rubrum [Abstract]. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Yellow nail syndrome is exactly what youd think a condition that causes nails to become discolored, ridged, and thick. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Treatment is geared toward the underlying cause. Nails can tell you a lot about your overall health. Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center. Chaftar, N., Girardot, M., Labanowski, J., Ghrairi, T., Hani, K., Frre, J., & Imbert, C. (2015, November 14). In addition, smoking can sometimes stain nails yellow. In the past I tried a pumice stone, which worked within seconds, and also the nail file/emery board, which works, too, just not as fast. Case in point? 2. That's why nail-strengthening antioxidants, like vitamin E, are beloved in nail care. Likewise, it has antifungal properties which are useful in treating any kind of nail disease that prompts staining. If this isnt enough to get rid of the stains, then you can also soak your fingers in the solution for five minute intervals five times a day. (2015, July 21). Mix a drop or two of tea tree oil with a carrier oil such as olive oil, coconut oil, or jojoba oil, and swab the mixture on the affected nail. The condition is benign2, which means no cause for concern, but you might still want to get it checked out by a doctor to make sure there are no other underlying issues. Once you meet with a physician to properly diagnose the underlying cause of yellowing nails, you can then move on to remedying the problem. 12 nail changes a dermatologist should examine. Sometimes surgery is required for respiratory problems, like pleural effusions (fluid-filled membranes in the lungs). Yellow nail syndrome in three siblings: A randomized double-blind trial of topical vitamin E. Flores, F. C., de Lima, J. If your yellow nails are caused by a yeast or bacteria, try some of the treatments above to help clear it up. Baking soda has strong antifungal effects. "This is a physical sign that your nails may need a breather from polish.". Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. Zinc supplements are commonly used to help treat yellowed nails. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Leave the lemon coating on your fingers for 5-10 minutes and then rinse it away with warm water. By using our site, you agree to our. Alternatively, apply whitening toothpaste to your nails and let it sit for 10 minutes. Natural forms of vitamin E: Metabolism, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and the role in disease prevention and therapy. Try using a whitening toothpaste for extra tough nicotine stains. Let's discuss the possible reasons for yellow nails in depth. Rinse with lukewarm water and apply some moisturizer. Read our, How Long Does It Take Nail Polish to Dry? Splichal says her typical regimen for patients involves "both topical and oral as a combination," but every patient is different and could require different interventions. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Soak your nails in the lukewarm water and denture cleaning mix for 10-15 minutes. Hydrogen peroxide has some whitening properties that can remove nicotine stains from your fingernails. Mix cup baking soda and 1 cup hydrogen peroxide in a bowl. This means its a great treatment for nails stained by product use. Certain medications may also cause nails to turn yellow. Treatment for yellow nails depends on the cause. Vitamin or mineral deficiencies can cause nails to appear yellow, and introducing a multivitamin supplement to your regiment may stop the problem. (2017, March 1). Split nails are often caused by an injury such as a stubbed toe or receiving a severe blow to a finger or thumb. Ciclopirox is applied to the nail much like a nail polish. "Listerine". You can find her work on her Instagram account @superflynails. Oregano Oil 8. A typical cause of yellow nails is using a dark shade of nail polish. Seek medical attention if any of these methods cause significant skin irritation, pain, discomfort, or make your condition worse in anyway. There are plenty of home remedies that you can try to treat the condition. Drug-induced nail disorders. Baking Soda and Lemon 4. Another common at-home remedy for discolored nails is mixing one tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide, two and a half tablespoons of baking soda in a dish. Picking off nail polish and pressing on your nails can cause them to peel. You should use this solution which is just 3% hydrogen peroxide. Lucking, treating and preventing yellowed fingernails due to nail polish is quite easy, requiring only a few simple household items and some sensible nail care. Yellow nails range in appearance from a slight discoloration to a noticeable dark yellow color. % of people told us that this article helped them. You know all the different manicure shapes, youre familiar with the longest-lasting polish formulas, and you even frequent the best nail salons. Remember it can take up to a year to completely remove some causes of yellow nails, so the sooner you get started the better. Fungal infection. Hydrogen peroxide, too, can help whiten yellow nails. You can also just leave the paste on your toenails to absorb for a few minutes before you scrub. The lemon juice can lighten your nails much in the same way it can lighten hair when it is sprayed on and exposed to the sun. Soak a cotton ball into the mixture and apply it to your nails on hands and feet Rinse it off after 5 minutes with warm water Apply this remedy twice a day to remove yellow nails. Hydrogen peroxide has oxidizing abilities, which makes it a stain remover. For example, if you're a smoker and your nails are tobacco-stained, you'll need to quit smoking. Occasionally nails might turn yellow as a symptom of something more serious, such as chronic lung conditions, internal malignancies, lymphatic obstructions, and even rheumatoid arthritis. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/71\/Fix-Nicotine-Stained-Fingers-Step-01-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Fix-Nicotine-Stained-Fingers-Step-01-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/71\/Fix-Nicotine-Stained-Fingers-Step-01-Version-2.jpg\/aid1114329-v4-728px-Fix-Nicotine-Stained-Fingers-Step-01-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"