The main reasons why the nails on the hands and feet turn yellow. What to do, what means to use, prevention.
Yellowing of nails is an extremely unpleasant problem that anyone can face. They do not look aesthetically pleasing and cause severe discomfort, especially for the fair sex. To improve the condition of the nails, it is necessary to find out the reason for the change in their color and choose the appropriate care products.
Why do nails turn yellow?
Normally, the nail plate on the fingers is translucent, thin, not brittle, pinkish in color. It should be smooth, without any roughness or unevenness.
There are many reasons why fingernails turn yellow:
- Poorly done manicure … Almost every woman visits nail salons and takes care of her nails. Some people use regular varnishes purchased in stores. Unfortunately, not all manicure products are of high quality and safe for nails. The main mistake is applying varnishes without a base coat. It is the base that protects the nail from possible negative effects. After varnish, nails turn yellow quite often. In addition, they become thinner and, in some cases, begin to flake off.
- Use of chemicals … Every woman has to deal with dishwashing every day. However, not everyone does this with gloves. Exposure to dishwashers and any other household chemicals often leads to the fact that the nails on the hands turn yellow, begin to break and flake off. In addition, these substances are absorbed into the skin, which makes the hands dry. Along with yellowing of the nails, microcracks on the skin of the hands and contact allergies may appear.
- Smoking … The constant inhalation of nicotine vapors leads to the fact that over time there is an insufficient supply of oxygen to the organs. Fingernails are no exception. Due to chronic hypoxia, they thicken, become round (like watch glasses) and acquire a yellow color. Even if a person quits smoking, the color of the nails does not change in the future.
- Uncontrolled exposure to ultraviolet radiation … Prolonged exposure to natural sunlight or in a solarium often leads to the fact that the nails turn yellow. Their shape and thickness usually does not change. Such an outcome of tanning is especially typical for those girls whose nails are not covered with gel polish. A distinctive feature of such yellowing is that after about a month, the nails return to their normal color. However, if such exposure to ultraviolet radiation is constant, in the future they may not lighten and become more fragile. To prevent yellowing of nails due to solar radiation, it is recommended to use special protective balms.
- Abuse of black tea and coffee … These drinks contain a large amount of pigment, which tends to accumulate in the body. It affects the color of teeth and nails. Accordingly, they will turn yellow. The color of the teeth can be changed by bleaching, and the nails can remain yellow forever.
- Chronic pathologies … An important role in the yellowing of nails is played by constant disturbances in the work of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Because of them, a person can chronically receive less oxygen. As a result, the shape and color of the nails change, as well as diseases of the urinary, biliary and endocrine systems.
- Taking medicines … Some pills, particularly antibiotics, have the side effect of yellowing nails. To avoid this, you need to strictly adhere to the instructions and the prescribed prescription scheme.
- Nutrient Deficiency … This problem is currently very relevant. Many people eat snacks, overuse instant meals and neglect the right diet. As a result, there may be a lack of vitamins and minerals necessary for the body. It is especially important to monitor the content of vitamins A, D and E in the diet, as well as calcium and phosphorus. If there are too few of them, then the nails turn yellow and exfoliate.
Toenails turn yellow a little less often than on the hands. However, getting them back to normal is much more difficult. Their color is influenced by many factors, including those listed above.
The most specific causes of yellowing of the nails of the lower extremities are:
- Fungal infection … It is quite common. Under the influence of the fungus, the nail thickens and turns yellow. In addition, there is a gross deformation of the nail plate, its detachment (up to complete), fragility and softening. The skin of the legs is also involved. On it there may be redness of an inflammatory nature, areas of peeling and coarseness, which are often itchy. An unpleasant odor is most often emitted from the feet. In most cases, the thumbnail turns yellow, and then the rest are involved in the process.
- Uncomfortable shoes … Wearing shoes that are not the right size and shape is another reason why toenails turn yellow. They are constantly squeezed and further deformed. It's also important to pay attention to high heels and stilettos. Because of them, a significant emphasis arises on the toes, in particular, on the big one. Prolonged compression of the nails from the outside leads to a violation of their blood supply, which can cause them to turn yellow.
See also the main causes of brittle nails.
What to do if fingernails and toenails turn yellow?
If your nails turn yellow, first of all you need to find out the reason. To do this, it is advisable to seek advice from a dermatologist, who will exclude or confirm a fungal infection and, if necessary, will select the appropriate therapy.
To improve the condition of nails at home and try to restore their normal color, you can use the following tools:
- Baking soda … You should be careful with her. If there are any injuries, wounds or burrs on the skin near the nails, the product can strongly bake and slow down healing. It is necessary to pour warm water into the container and dilute 1 tsp in it. soda. In this solution, you need to lower your hands for 15-20 minutes. Soda baths not only restore the pink color of the nails, but also make the nail plate stronger.
- Baby little … First, you need to soften and steam your nails. To do this, put your hands in hot water for a few minutes. You should also put soap in the same container. A softened soap bar must be rubbed in such a way that its particles clog under the tips of the nails and leave them in this state for 5 minutes. After that, the soap should be removed with a special brush. Next, wash your hands in clean water.
- Lemon … The citrus must be cut into 2 pieces. Place your fingers in lemon pulp for 5-10 minutes. It is imperative to check for any damage to the skin, because otherwise the procedure will cause severe burning. You can also use lemon juice in combination with olive oil, because the latter significantly strengthens the nail plate. A mixture of juice and oil should be rubbed into the nails daily with cotton swabs.
- Vinegar … It helps well if the nails turn yellow as a result of excessive consumption of tea or coffee. Vinegar contains a special acid that has the ability to destroy pigment. To whiten nails, pour warm water into a container and add 1 tsp to it. apple cider vinegar. In such a bath, the nails should be kept for no longer than 3 minutes, because the product is sufficiently concentrated and can partially destroy the nail plate.
- Sea water … This method is suitable for those who live close to the coast or are in a resort. There are many natural minerals and sand particles in seawater, thanks to which the natural peeling of the nail plate and its whitening are carried out.
- Salt baths … An excellent analogue of sea water. To prepare them, you need to dissolve 2 tsp. table salt in 250 ml of warm water. In the resulting bath, you need to lower your nails for 15-20 minutes. After this time, hands must be washed, and the nails themselves must be lubricated with a moisturizer or nourishing oil. The baths should be repeated no more than 2 times a week.
- chamomile … You will need dried chamomile inflorescences. They need to be poured with 300 ml of hot water and placed in a water bath for 15 minutes. Or you can leave the flooded inflorescences to infuse for 40 minutes. The cooked broth should cool. After that, you need to dip your nails into the solution for half an hour. It is recommended to use such baths every day for a month so that the whitening is long-term. In addition, the skin of the hands and feet will become much softer and silky.
- Essential oils … Castor oil is very effective. It needs to be rubbed into the nail plates with cotton pads. This procedure not only whitens, but also prevents delamination. A mixture of lemon juice, jojoba oil and ylang-ylang also has a good effect. Rubbing these oils in should be done 2 times a day.
- Hydrogen peroxide … Great when combined with baking soda. It is necessary to mix 2 tbsp. l. soda and 1 tbsp. l. 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. Apply the resulting mixture to the yellowed nail plates for 3 minutes, and then rinse, while carrying out circular massage movements on the nails, as if continuing to rub the whitening agent.
- Glycerol … It is necessary to mix glycerin with peroxide solution in a ratio of 1: 5. Apply the resulting mixture to nails for 5 minutes, then rinse it off with warm water.
- Toothpaste … The easiest way to get rid of yellowness. Every evening after brushing your teeth, you need to take a separate toothbrush, squeeze a small amount of whitening paste onto it and clean the yellowed nail plates with it. The result will not be noticeable immediately, but it will persist for a long time.
- Glass nail file … Files, which are made of specially processed and prepared glass, have a rough surface that helps to remove the remaining varnish or the upper uneven layer of the nail, due to which yellowness is formed. It is necessary to use such a nail file carefully so as not to cut off the nail plate completely and not to make cracks on it.
- Potato … The root vegetable has long been considered a natural brightening agent. To whiten nails, wash 1 raw potato, peel and grind it with a grater. The gruel, which has turned out, needs to be rubbed into the nails for half an hour. Better yet, just place your hands in a container of grated potatoes.
- Starch … It is a good alternative to potatoes. It is necessary to pour dry starch into a container and add milk to it so that a sour cream consistency is obtained. Lemon juice can be used instead of milk, which increases the whitening effect of the starch. In the prepared gruel, you need to place your nails for 20 minutes, then wash them.
- Aloe … It is necessary to take a leaf of the plant, cut it into several parts. The released juice should be rubbed with yellowed nails, and then thoroughly wash them. Aloe juice not only whitens the nail plates, but also increases their growth rate.
- Cucumber … The vegetable should be grated and mixed with aloe juice. The nails should be in the resulting gruel for 30 minutes, after which they must be thoroughly washed. Cucumber, along with whitening, will help soothe skin irritation, if present.
- Whitening varnishes … Special remedies for removing yellow nails are sold in professional cosmetics stores. They are, accordingly, not cheap. However, if you apply these varnishes regularly, your nails will quickly acquire a healthy color and shine.
See also how to strengthen your nails.
Prevention of yellowing of nails
In order for the nails to always retain their natural color and shine, the following preventive measures must be observed:
- Give up bad habits, in particular, smoking;
- Make sure that the diet is as saturated with vitamins and nutrients as possible;
- Drink less colored drinks;
- To do high-quality manicure, pedicure and periodically give your nails a break from varnish;
- Use rubber gloves when working with household chemicals;
- Protect nails from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation;
- Monitor your health, especially in the presence of chronic pathologies;
- Wear the most comfortable and comfortable shoes;
- Monitor the hygiene of the feet and hands;
- Prevent the development of a fungal infection and eliminate it in time if the infection has already occurred.
What to do if nails turn yellow - watch the video:
Yellowing of the nails can be both a consequence of improper care of them, and one of the signs of the disease. It is important to find out in time why their color has changed. You can use simple methods available at home to whiten your nails.
