Yellow fingernails: causes, symptoms, methods of elimination
Yellowness on the nails can have a different external manifestation - yellowing of the nail plate, small yellow spots on the nails, as well as yellow spots under the nails on the hands and feet - they all have different causes of formation and a specific method of action should be applied to each case. So, let's begin.
Fungal nail infection
The most unpleasant and most problematic type of defect is fungus. It is not difficult to recognize: the nail plate, as a rule, thickens, becomes loose, and acquires an unpleasant yellow color. Its shade can vary from whitish-yellow to almost brown, it all depends on the degree of damage and the type of fungus. If a yellow spot appears on your nail as in the photo, you definitely have a fungus
Fungal infection of hand nails
Most often, toenails are susceptible to fungal infections. Visiting public places (bathhouse, swimming pool), neglecting hygiene rules (wearing someone else's shoes, failure to maintain personal hygiene), wearing tight shoes - all this can lead to the appearance of fungus.
Fungal infection of toenails
Fungus appears less frequently on fingernails. As a rule, the reasons for its occurrence are a poorly performed manicure procedure (neglect of asepsis, violation of hygiene standards) and injured nail plates with the subsequent introduction of pathogenic microorganisms into it.
Treatment involves the use of antifungal ointments - Exoderil, Mikozan, etc. In advanced cases, you will have to use drugs for internal use. In any case, be sure to visit a dermatologist. Traditional methods of treatment in this case are used only as aids.
Nail plate injury
Surprised? And nails can actually turn yellow from injury. The most common one is an injury resulting from wearing incorrectly selected shoes. This is the main cause of yellow toenails in women. Often girls, in pursuit of fashion, choose tight and uncomfortable shoes. Staying in it for many hours every day leads to compression of the fingers and nails. As a result, as a protective reaction, the nail thickens and acquires a yellow tint. In addition, a callous formation forms under the nail, which is very painful when treating nails.
Changes in the nail plate due to wearing tight shoes
A similar picture can be seen on the fingernails. Injury to the nail plate can occur in any situation - a bruise (in this case, even a bruise may form under the nail), or a nail folded in the opposite direction (a whitish-yellow spot appears at the site of the tear). Many women note that a white-yellow spot appears on the nail after a poorly performed manicure. When the nail plate is repeatedly injured by excessive filing, a hard leathery formation or simply a callus eventually forms under it. In this case, the nail often moves away from it, forming voids.
callous formation under the nail plate and its peeling
What to do in these cases? If it comes down to your feet, then just learn to choose the right shoes and don’t chase fashion. In the end, it's even harmful. Well, if the problem has already formed, take softening baths with soda and... wait for the injured plate to grow back.
The picture is the same with fingernails - the defect will go away only when the injured area has completely grown back. And to relieve symptoms, the same baths with soda, chamomile and sea salt are recommended. Baking soda will help soften calluses, chamomile will act as a natural antiseptic, and salt will strengthen the nail plate.
Diseases of internal organs
Yellowness of the nails may be associated with disruption of the liver and bile ducts.
Experts also identify “yellow nail syndrome.” As a rule, it occurs in middle-aged men and women. It is characterized by yellow coloration of fingernails and toenails and swelling of the fingers. The cause of the disease is unknown. It is believed that this is most likely due to a disruption of the lymphatic system.
Yellow nail syndrome
In this case, there is only one piece of advice - you need a full medical examination and treatment prescribed by doctors. Because the yellowness of the nails here is just a consequence of the main problem and it will be possible to get rid of it only by completely curing it.
Important
The condition of the nails often indicates disturbances and malfunctions in the functioning of internal organs and the nervous system. Each failure of the human body system has its own pattern of reflection on the nails. If you notice serious changes in the appearance of your nails - swelling of the tissues around the nails, changes in the volume and relief of the plate, etc. – consult a specialist; there may be hidden pathological changes in your body.
Exposure to chemicals
Yellow spots on fingernails may appear as a result of working with chemicals and acids. Even regular dish soap can cause your nails to turn yellow. Therefore, make it a rule to carry out all work with household chemicals only with gloves. By the way, this will also protect the skin of your hands from premature aging.
Protect your hands during housework
Folk remedies will help to save an already existing problem. Take baths with lemon and sea salt. The acid contained in lemon will help reduce yellowness, and sea salt will enrich the plates with useful microelements.
Bad habits
And there is only one habit - smoking. Many young ladies who smoke are surprised - why have the nails turned yellow on both hands, since I only smoke with my right/left hand? It’s just that tar and nicotine, penetrating into the body, accumulate in a number of organs and in the nails first.
Smoker's nails
In this case, you can get rid of yellowness only by giving up a bad habit or at least reducing your tobacco consumption.
Consequences of an incorrectly done manicure
This is perhaps the most basic reason why fingernails are yellow, and therefore it is worth considering this reason in more detail.
Yellowing of nails after using gel polish
Interesting
Some young ladies' nails themselves have a slightly creamy tint. This is due to the individual characteristics of the body.
Manicure “different hands” with floral design
Floral design on nails today is both the work of an artist and the naive art of home painting. Flowers can complement lunar nail designs, short and long manicures. Or they can be depicted on a transparent nail. The main thing when doing a manicure is to have “different” hands so that the design is not on one nail, but on all of them. Different flowers on all nails will also look interesting.
Yellow nails after shellac: factors causing the problem
The main reasons that lead to color change are as follows:
- Applying color without a base coat. In this case, the pigment, especially of dark varnishes, penetrates deep and colors the nail plate;
- Use of low-quality varnishes. Cheap varnishes, even with a base (especially a cheap one), negatively affect the color of the nail plate.
- Frequent use of manicure removers. Aggressive substances contained in nail polish removers cause darkening of the plate, this is especially noticeable on the overgrown parts of the nail.
- Excessive passion for wellness treatments for nails. Some young ladies, in order to strengthen the nail plate after using shellac, thoughtlessly “fertilize” it with iodine every day. As a result, so much of it accumulates that it results in a banal burn of the nail plate, from which the nail simply turns yellow.
In all these cases, there is only one piece of advice - use high-quality shellac and yellow nails will no longer be your problem.
Matte multi-colored manicure: photo 2021-2022
The next time you go to paint your nails, instead of choosing one solid color of polish, choose several on-trend colors with a matte finish. A matte top makes any polish color even more beautiful and impressive, and in a multi-colored manicure it looks simply gorgeous. Muted pastel colors in a matte top acquire a discreet and very beautiful effect, and dark, saturated colors become even deeper and more colorful.
The main condition in a matte multi-colored manicure is the harmony of the color of the varnish, clothing and style.
Methods for getting rid of yellow nails
Yellow fingernails, as in the photo below, are all the consequences of poor-quality manicure.
Changing the color of the nail plate after using shellac
Fortunately, getting rid of this problem is easy, even at home. Moreover, folk remedies are the most effective and safest. Let's consider each method separately:
Mechanical effects on the nail plate
Sometimes, to remove the unwanted yellowing effect, you just need to remove the top layer of the nail. For this you can use:
- Toothpaste. Simply apply a thin layer to each nail and brush over them with a toothbrush. You will be surprised, but this simple method will help whiten your nails.
Toothpaste perfectly whitens nails
- Using a scrub in the form of tooth powder, baking soda or a cosmetic scrub will also help to gently remove the top layer of the nail.
Nail scrub
- Filing the nail with a very fine abrasive buff is also one of the options and, as a rule, saves if the degree of pigment penetration is deeper. In this case, you should act extremely carefully and without unnecessary fanaticism, so as not to thin the plate and not acquire an additional problem in the form of yellow spots due to the formation of a subungual callus.
Filing the top layer of the nail
Therapeutic baths
If the problem has gone “deep into the nail,” you should resort to bleaching baths. The main ingredients in this case will be lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil, sea salt, soda, chamomile, calendula, celandine, etc.
Whitening baths
The baths should be warm, preferably even a little hot, so that the substances can penetrate the nail plate. The entire procedure takes on average 10-15 minutes. The frequency of execution is once every two days. Duration of treatment – 2 weeks.
Here are some options for whitening baths.
- You will need 3 teaspoons of sea salt, the juice of half a lemon and tea tree oil (5 drops). Dissolve all this in 0.5 liters of hot water (as much as your hands can tolerate).
- Take 2 tablespoons of olive oil heated in a water bath, the pulp of one grated raw potato, half a teaspoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide.
- Another option is to dissolve 3 teaspoons of soda and sea salt in 0.5 liters of chamomile decoction.
You can vary the choice of ingredients for baths. But remember that the composition must include some kind of weak acid (lemon or apple cider vinegar), an antiseptic (chamomile, etc.), a strengthening agent (salt) and an emollient (cosmetic or essential oil, or soda). Don't go overboard with the ingredients.
Bleaching with fruit acids
Acids give faster results than baths and are less traumatic than mechanical impact. Sour fruits and berries are suitable for whitening - lemon, red currant, cranberry, pineapple, etc. Perhaps the most affordable and most effective is lemon juice. Just wipe your nails with a slice of lemon and leave it on without washing it off for 5 minutes. Then rinse the juice off your nails under running water and apply a nourishing cream.
Lemon has good whitening properties
Well, and finally, remember - the yellowness will go away on its own as soon as the nail grows completely. Two months - and you can forget about the problem.
As you can see, the problem of yellow nails, if it is not associated with serious problems with your health, can be solved. The main thing is not to let it get to a critical state.
